Kingsbarns leads Ben Ali; Appleby has 2 in Elkhorn

Kingsbarns, the winner of the Louisiana Derby (G2) at Fair Grounds last year, heads a field of nine entered for Saturday’s Grade 3, $300,000 Ben Ali Stakes for 4-year-olds and up going 1 3/16 miles on the main track at Keeneland.

The Ben Ali will go as the ninth race on Saturday’s program with a 5:16 p.m. EDT post time.

Owned by Spendthrift Farm and trained by two-time Ben Ali winner Todd Pletcher, Kingsbarns returned to the races March 2 after an 8 1/2-month layoff to win a seven-furlong sprint at Gulfstream Park. Luis Sáez has the mount from post 4.

Pletcher also will send out Dynamic One for the partnership of Repole Stable, Phipps Stable and St. Elias Stable. Dynamic One captured the Suburban (G2) at Belmont Park in 2022, the same year he was second in the Ben Ali. Irad Ortiz Jr. has the mount from post 7.

Aiming for a repeat in the Ben Ali is Lucky Seven Stable, which won the race last year with Rattle N Roll. This year the stable will be represented by Smile Happy, a two-time Grade 2 winner. Trained by Kenny McPeek, who has won the Ben Ali three times including with Rattle N Roll, Smile Happy will be ridden by Brian Hernandez Jr. from post 3.

Bold Act and Silver Knott, two overseas shippers from the powerful Godolphin stable, top a field of 11 entered for the $350,000 Elkhorn Stakes (G2) for 4-year-olds and up going 1 1/2 miles on the turf in the eighth race Saturday at 4:44 p.m. EDT.

Trained by Charlie Appleby, Bold Act returns to Keeneland, where he won the Sycamore (G3) last fall. After a nearly five-month layoff, Bold Act opened 2024 with a victory in the Dubai City of Gold (G2) at Meydan in Dubai on March 2 going 1 1/2 miles. Frankie Dettori has the mount from post 4.

Silver Knott, who raced most of 2023 in the U.S. to compile a record of 5: 0-1-3, returns to Keeneland, where he finished second, beaten by a nose in the 2022 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf. Flavien Prat has the mount from post 11.

Also in the field is 2022 Sycamore winner Highland Chief for owner Fitri Hay and trainer Graham Motion. John Velázquez has the mount from post 3.