'Extremely special' Maxfield to get break, target 2020 campaign

Godolphin’s highly-regarded colt Maxfield, who scratched out of last weekend’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, will get a freshening for the remainder of 2019 and target a 2020 campaign, according to his trainer Brendan Walsh.

Maxfield, an impressive 5 ½-length winner of theBreeders’ Futurity (G1) at Keeneland, was scratched from the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile because of a minor foot bruise.

"If he even had a hair turn we were going to scratch him,” Walsh said. “He just wasn’t right, so obviously we weren’t going to take any chances. Our goal with him has always been a 3-year-old campaign. I was surprised he broke his maiden like he did first out. I thought he would be the type of horse that would take some time to break his maiden.

“He’ll get a break at the farm for a little while and I’ll bring him back next year. I haven’t completely mapped out a campaign next year for the (Kentucky) Derby. This horse can really be anything. He’s extremely special.”

Walsh reported Maxfield will likely return to his Florida base this winter.

Maxfield will likely be an individual interest in the first pool of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager that is scheduled for Nov. 28-Dec. 1. The four-day pool, which will run concurrently with the Kentucky Derby Sire Future Wager, will feature 23 individual interests and an “all others” interest for any other 2-year-old horse not listed. The field for the first future wager pools will be announced the week of Nov. 25.