Andrew Farm, For the People Racing Stable, and Windmill Manor Farm's Verstappen held off Red Knight by a head to win the 38th running of the $350,000 Elkhorn (G2) for 4-year-olds and up Saturday afternoon at Keeneland.
Verstappen made his graded stakes debut a winning one as he outdueled Red Knight in deep stretch to prevail.
Trained by Brendan Walsh and ridden by Declan Cannon, Verstappen completed the 1½ miles on a turf course rated as good in 2:29.28. It is Cannon's first Keeneland stakes victory.
Tiz the Bomb led the field of eight through fractions of :24.68, :49.69, 1:14.93 and 1:40 while being hounded by defending Elkhorn winner Channel Maker as Verstappen and Red Knight raced at the rear of the field.
At the top of the stretch as the field began to bunch up, Verstappen and Red Knight had clear running on the outside with Verstappen getting the first jump and taking the lead at the eighth pole with Red Knight challenging to his inside but unable to get by.
A Keeneland sales graduate, Verstappen is a 4-year-old War Front gelding out of the Peintre Celebre mare Andromeda Galaxy. Now owning a record of 4-3-2 from 12 career starts, Verstappen increased his earnings to $447,846 with Saturday's $208,863 check.
Verstappen returned $34.30 for the win.
Red Knight, ridden by Gerardo Corrales, finished two lengths in front of third-place finisher Another Mystery under Jareth Loveberry.
It was another 1½ lengths back to Channel Maker, who was followed in order by Tiz the Bomb, Howe Street, Rising Empire. and Value Engineering.
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