Tennessee Lamb and San Siro will square off again April 18 in the 95th running of the $350,000 Ben Ali (G3) going 1 3/16 miles on the main track.
The Ben Ali will go as the ninth race on next Saturday’s 11-race program with a 5:16 p.m. post time.
Trained by Rusty Arnold or owner Calumet Farm, Tennessee Lamb returned from a nine-month layoff in a sprint at Gulfstream Park on March 1. Axel Concepcion has the mount from post 3.
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Three horses have won the Ben Ali in consecutive years with the most recent being Aspro (1983-1984).
San Siro, owned by the partnership of Andrew Farm, Mountmellick Farm, Ocean Reef Racing, White Mountain Stables and Stonecrest Farm, finished third in the Essex (G3) at Oaklawn Park in his most recent start. Trained by Brendan Walsh, San Siro will exit post 5 under Tyler Gaffalione.
Invading from the West Coast is Slam Dunk Racing, Debby Baltas and Cynthia McClanahan’s British Isles.
Trained by Richard Baltas, British Isles won the Santa Anita Handicap (G1) Presented by Yaamava’ Resorts & Casino at San Manuel on March 7. John Velazquez has the mount from post 4.
British Isles Finding His Footing Back On Dirt
“He’s giving weight to every other horse in there, so we will see if he is good enough,” trainer Richard Baltas said Wednesday morning about British Isles, who figures to be one of the leading players in Saturday’s 95th running of the $350,000 Ben Ali (G3) for 4-year-olds and up going 1 3/16 miles on the main track.
Owned by Nick Cosato’s Slam Dunk Racing, Debby Baltas and Cynthia McClanahan, British Isles started his career in the barn of Bob Baffert for Coolmore, having three starts on dirt and then two on grass before joining the Baltas barn after a private purchase in early 2024.
British Isles stayed on the grass for his next 16 races and became stakes placed, but consistent success was elusive. Things changed last fall at Del Mar.
“The owners wanted to run on the dirt,” Baltas said. “He has trained well on it, so he ran in the Native Diver (G3) and just got caught by Nevada Beach, who had run in the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1).
“That got us excited and we went to Gulfstream (for the Pegasus World Cup Invitational-G1) and got fifth (at odds of 83-1) in a race that was better than it looks on paper.”
Baltas returned British Isles to his home base at Santa Anita and was rewarded with a victory in the Santa Anita Handicap (G1) Presented by Yaamava’ Resorts & Casino at San Manuel on March 7.
“He ran away from horses that day and he had never done that before,” Baltas said of the 4¼-length victory. “He is a 5-year-old gelding and a nice horse to have. He’s a blessing.”
John Velazquez will have the mount Saturday from post 4.
An earner of more than $550,000, British Isles could find his way back to the grass.
“We always have that option.” Baltas said.
Desvio Goes For Keeneland First In Elkhorn
Stonelea Stable and Bonnie Rye Stable’s Desvio is scheduled to arrive at Keeneland Thursday afternoon for a shot at track history Saturday in the 41st running of the $400,000 VisitLEX Elkhorn (G2).
Winner of the Sycamore (G2) here last fall, Desvio will attempt to become the first horse to win the Sycamore and come back the following spring and win the Elkhorn. Both races are at 1½ miles on the turf.
“He will go to the track Friday morning and walk through the Paddock with a pony,” trainer Madison Meyers said via text. John Velazquez will have the mount from post 2 on Saturday.
Velazquez was aboard last fall when Desvio lit up the toteboard with a $70.90 win payoff for $2 to give Meyers, a Lexington native, her first graded stakes victory. It was the highest stakes payoff of the Fall Meet.
Desvio followed his Sycamore triumph with a third-place finish three weeks later in the Red Smith (G2) to complete his 4-year-old campaign.
“The Elkhorn was the plan all along, but after such a rough winter (in Virginia) I wasn’t sure we’d have him ready in time,” Meyers said of returning in the Elkhorn. “He has come to hand very quickly, much quicker than I expected, so we are happy with where we are.”
Desvio returned to the work tab March 11 at the Middleburg Training Center, where he had four works before a half-mile breeze at Laurel last Thursday.
“I have a barn at Laurel, so I sent him up to work over the deeper track so I could really get a line on him,” Meyers said. “He worked very well (:48.80) and kept galloping out, cooled out like it was nothing, so here we are.”
