Maxfield becomes millionaire with win in Stephen Foster
Louisville, Ky.
Racing’s newest millionaire has Saratoga in his plans this summer. And a date in the Breeders’ Cup Classic this fall.
Back from an eight-week break, Maxfield (2-5) lived up to his odds-on backing Saturday. Racing from mid-pack, he picked off horses one by one on the far turn, took the lead just before the quarter pole and ran on to a 3 1/4-length victory in the $600,000 Stephen Foster Stakes, the Grade 2 feature on a sultry, closing day at Churchill Downs.
Now 7-for-8 with $1,265,902 in earnings, the 4-year-old Street Sense colt easily put away runner-up Warrior’s Charge (7-1). Sprawl (12-1) was another two lengths back in third, 2 3/4 lengths better than fourth-place South Bend.
Not only did an automatic berth into the Nov. 6 Breeders’ Cup Classic at Del Mar come with the victory, but so did intentions to send the Godolphin homebred to the Whitney Stakes (G1) at Saratoga on Aug. 7.
“You don’t want to get too far ahead of yourself, ever,” Godolphin president Jimmy Bell said as he walked out of the winner’s circle Saturday. “But a major objective would be the Whitney. Things change pretty quickly in this game, but we do think that would be the next logical progression.”
If there were any doubts about Maxfield, they might have been spurred by his only loss, a third-place finish two races back March 9 in the Santa Anita Handicap (G1). Trainer Brendan Walsh said the defeat actually might have been a hidden blessing
“We were a little disappointed that day,” Walsh said. “But if he wasn’t an unbeaten horse, people would have said he ran well, and we would have walked off. But I walked away that day and thought maybe some good will come of this. Seasoned, handicap horses have to have a gun put to their head to turn into the horses that they can turn into. I think he’s shown his last two races that it might turn out to be a good thing.”
Since the loss, Maxfield has put together a pair of 3 1/4-length wins on Churchill’s main track, including April 30 in the Alysheba (G2). Both came closing from mid-pack for jockey José Ortiz.
“When I used to ride him before, he used to come from behind,” said Ortiz, who was replaced on Maxfield by Florent Géroux for three races that ended with the Big ’Cap loss. “When Florent started to ride him, he matured a little bit in Louisiana, and he was breaking better. Before, he used to not break so well. Now he’s able to get in a good position, and it’s been a key.”
Ortiz had Maxfield perfectly positioned three-wide into the clubhouse turn. The colt looked relaxed cruising four-wide into the far turn. At the time he was fifth, three lengths behind Sprawl. Within the next furlong he made up 5 1/2 lengths of ground and never looked back.
The winning time for the 1 1/8 miles on the fast, main track was 1:48.53 off fractions of 23.33, 46.88, 1:10.70 and 1:35.44.
“It just looks like the horse is getting better and better all the time,” Walsh said. “It’s scary to think about it. You’re always looking for confirmation. I think you saw it again today. He’s just a cool horse.”
Walsh said he would likely take Maxfield to Saratoga just as soon as he packs up his stable to move out of Churchill Downs while training is closed this summer for the installation of a new turf course.
With the Whitney as an objective to get Maxfield his first Grade 1 victory since he broke through in the 2019 Breeders’ Futurity at Keeneland, that loss in California seems like it was ages ago. It was certainly pounds ago.
“Continually through his flanks and over his hip and his shoulder, he is just bigger, stronger,” Bell said, comparing the Maxfield of now to the Maxfield of early April. “He’s just a very imposing individual. To think what he did as a 2-year-old where he had sort of that gangly, Baby Huey look. To see what he’s transformed into now is remarkable.”