Brendan Walsh | Horse Racing Free Tips

‘Really On His Game Right Now’: Maxfield Headed To Saratoga, May Point To Whitney

Godolphin's homebred Maxfield has exited his victory in the Grade 2 Stephen Foster Stakes in good order and shipped to Saratoga on Monday, trainer Brendan Walsh told the Daily Racing Form. The 4-year-old son of Street Sense could target the G1 Whitney Stakes on Aug. 7 for his next start, another “Win and You're In” race for the Breeders' Cup Classic.

Maxfield has won seven of his eight career starts, beaten for the only time when third in the G1 Santa Anita Handicap earlier this year.

“It seems like since he got beat at Santa Anita, he's really turned a corner,” Godolphin's Jimmy Bell told DRF. “It's like it woke him up, maybe even toughened him up. He is really on his game right now.”

Maxfield Gives Godolphin Another Stakes Win In Stephen Foster

Earlier today, the blue silks of Godolphin came home first at the Curragh in County Kildaire, Ireland, with Hurricane Lane dashing to the lead in the final furlong to win the Group 1 Irish Derby. Hours later, clad in the same Godolphin blue, Jose Ortiz guided Maxfield to an easy win in the Grade 2 Stephen Foster Stakes at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., clinching a guaranteed spot in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Classic at Del Mar in Del Mar, Ca. in November.

Starting from post eight in a field of nine, Maxfield broke clean, content to sit midpack as Empty Tomb took the early lead with Claiborne Farm's Sprawl just behind him, Necker Island in third. In the backstretch, Maxfield was sixth, Empty Tomb and Sprawl still running one-two, but, as the field entered the final turn, Sprawl took over the lead and Ortiz put Maxfield in gear. Around the turn, Maxfield picked off horses, overtaking Sprawl as their field entered the stretch. From there, Maxfield drew away, increasing his advantage to three and a quarter lengths as he hit the wire. Behind him, Warrior's Charge passed Sprawl in the stretch to take second place, with Sprawl holding onto third and South Bend fourth. The time for the mile and an eight was 1:48.53.

Find this race's chart here.

Maxfield paid $2.80, $2.20, and $2.10. Warrior's Charge paid $5.00 and $3.60. Sprawl paid $4.20 to show.

The G2 Stephen Foster Stakes is a Win and You're In race on the road to the Breeders' Cup Classic at Del Mar Nov. 6. Winning horses receive a free and guaranteed spot in the starting gate for the corresponding Breeders' Cup race.

Bred and owned by Godolphin, Maxfield was sired by 2007 Grade 1 Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense out of the Bernadini mare Velvety. Saturday's win gives Maxfield his third victory in four starts in 2021 and his seventh win in eight lifetime starts, with career earnings of $776,640. His other 2021 wins include the Grade 2 Alysheba Stakes at Churchill Downs and the Grade 3 Mineshaft Stakes at Fair Grounds in New Orleans, La.

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Maxfield the One to Beat in Stephen Foster

The talented Maxfield (Street Sense) headlines a field of nine slated for Saturday's GII Stephen Foster S. at Churchill Downs, a 'Win and You're In' for the GI Breeders' Cup Classic.

After suffering his first career defeat finishing third in the GI Santa Anita H. Mar. 6, the Godolphin homebred got back on track with a strong performance in Churchill's GII Alysheba S. on the GI Kentucky Oaks undercard. It was 3 1/4 lengths back to Twinspires Kentucky Cup Classic S. winner Visitant (Ghostzapper) in second that day and another 4 1/4 lengths back to Chess Chief (Into Mischief) in third.

“We shipped him up from Keeneland last week and worked an easy half-mile [in :48 4/5 at Churchill Downs June 19],” trainer Brendan Walsh said of the 4-5 morning-line favorite. “He did most of his work at Keeneland prior to the Foster. He's a fit and happy horse. We're ready to go and excited to get this race underway.”

Maxfield's six-career victories include a win in the 2019 GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity at Keeneland.

Warrior's Charge (Munnings), winner of the 2020 GIII Razorback H. and GIII Philip Iselin S. via disqualification, looks to right the ship following a disappointing beginning to his 5-year-old campaign. He was sixth after a slow start in a sloppy renewal of the GIII Steve Sexton Mile S. at Lone Star last time May 31.

The 7-year-old gelding Silver Dust (Tapit), third in this race last year, enters off a win in the GIII Ben Ali in the Keeneland slop Apr. 10.

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King Fury Resurfaces In Ohio Derby, Facing Promise Keeper, Nine Others

Todd Pletcher-trained Promise Keeper, winner of the Grade 3 Peter Pan Stakes at Belmont Park last out, faces of field of 10 other 3-year-olds including graded stakes winners King Fury and Keepmeinmind in Saturday's Grade 3 Ohio Derby at JACK Thistledown in North Randall, Ohio. The Ohio Derby, a 1 1/8-mile fixture first run in 1876, offers a $500,000 purse, with $300,000 going to the winner.

A Constitution colt out of a mare by Curlin, Promise Keeper was picking up his third career victory in five starts – all in 2021 – while winning the Peter Pan by 2 ¼ lengths over Nova Rags. Prior that initial stakes win, Promise Keeper romped to a 5 ½-length allowance victory at Keeneland on April 8 going 1 1/8 miles. He's been ridden in all of his starts by Luis Saez, who will be aboard and break from the No. 1 post on Saturday. Promise Keeper races for Woodford Thoroughbreds, Win Star Farm and Rock Ridge Racing.

Keepmeinmind recorded his only lifetime win in the G2 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes at Churchill Downs last year for trainer Robertino Diodoro after finishing second in the G1 Breeders' Futurity and third in the G1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile, both at Keeneland. This year the Laoban colt has failed to hit the top three in four stakes, including a seventh-place finish in the G1 Kentucky Derby and a fourth in the G1 Preakness in his last out on May 15.

Diodoro is adding blinkers to the colt's equipment for his ninth career start in the Ohio Derby. David Cohen has been aboard Keepmeinmind for all of his starts and is back aboard on Saturday. He races for Cypress Creek Equine, Arnold Bennewith and Spendthrift Farm and will break from the No. 8 post

Fern Circle Stables and Three Chimneys Farm's King Fury has finished behind Keepmeinmind in three races – the Breeders' Futurity, Breeders' Cup Juvenile and Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes – but the Curlin colt trained by Kenny McPeek put it all together in his 2021 debut, winning the G3 Lexington Stakes at Keeneland on April 10 by 2 ¾ lengths and earning a Beyer Speed Figure of 96. King Fury was entered in the Kentucky Derby on May 1 but McPeek was forced to withdraw him when he came up with a fever.

King Fury returned to the work tab at Churchill Downs three weeks after the Derby, going a half-mile in :47.60 on May 22, and he's had a series of four works since then, including a quick five-furlong breeze in :58.60 on June 12.

“It took him a while to come around. He was pretty clogged up,” said McPeek. “I sent him to my farm for about 10 days. He had a chest full of congestion, but he's locked and loaded now. He's doing really well, but he's a horse that needs some pace in front of him.”

Corey Lanerie rides King Fury, who will break from the four post.

Godolphin homebred Proxy finished fourth behind King Fury in the Lexington but showed flashes of talent over the winter at Fair Grounds, finishing second in the G3 Lecomte (behind Midnight Bourbon) and G2 Risen Star (behind Mandaloun). He then ran fourth behind Hot Rod Charlie in the G2 Louisiana Derby. Trainer Michael Stidham tried blinkers in the Tapit colt's last two starts, but is removing them for the Ohio Derby. Joe Bravo will be aboard for the first time on Saturday and they will break from post nine.

Two horses who will be making their stakes debuts but have recorded impressive allowance victories are Masqueparade for trainer Al Stall and Ethical Judgment for Brendan Walsh.

Masqueparade, who earned his maiden diploma via disqualification at Fair Grounds on March 20, comes off an 11 ¾-length allowance victory at Churchill Downs on Kentucky Derby day, May 1. Ridden by Miguel Mena, the Upstart colt pressed the pace and drew off impressively in the stretch, earning a Beyer Speed Figure of 97. Mena rides back in the Ohio Derby, breaking from the 10 post.

Ethical Judgment also exits an allowance score at Churchill Downs, winning on May 9 by 3 ½ lengths in the slop in a race originally scheduled on turf. It was the Honor Code colt's second win from four starts, with two seconds. Martin Garcia will be aboard and break from the five post.

The complete field from the rail out: Promise Keeper, Luis Saez; Falcons Fury, Edgar Paucar; Hozier, Chris Landeros; King Fury, Corey Lanerie; Ethical Judgment, Martin Garcia; Hello Hot Rod, Francisco Arrieta; The Reds, Dylan Davis; Keepmeinmind, David Cohen; Proxy, Joe Bravo; Masqueparade, Miguel Mena; and Channel Fury, Luis Rivera.

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