Brendan Walsh | Horse Racing Free Tips

Versatile Maxfield Takes On Solid Local Contingent In Santa Anita Handicap

Undefeated in five starts, Goldolphin's homebred Maxfield, who has been installed as the 124 pound highweight, will ship in from his New Orleans base to head Saturday's Grade 1, $400,000 Santa Anita Handicap sponsored by San Manuel Casino. The Big 'Cap, which has attracted a field of eight older horses and will be run for the 84th time at the North American classic distance of a mile and one quarter, is also leg one in the inaugural $1 Million Wild West Bonus, which is comprised of the Big 'Cap, the Grade 1 Hollywood Gold Cup May 31 and the Grade 1 TVG Pacific Classic at Del Mar on Aug. 21. Any horse that's able to sweep all three stakes would bank a total of $1,870,000.

Trained by Brendan Walsh, Maxfield, a 4-year-old colt by Street Sense, out of the Bernardini mare Velvety, rallied from far back to win the Grade III Mineshaft Stakes at a mile and one sixteenth by 3 ¼ lengths at Fair Grounds under Florent Geroux, who will be back aboard Saturday. A Grade 1 winner in his second start at age two in October, 2019, Maxfield has three graded victories to his credit and with the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Classic looming in November at Del Mar, “Max” will be getting his first taste of Southern California in the Big 'Cap.

Currently bedded down at Simon Callaghan's barn, Maxfield arrived at Santa Anita late Monday night according to Walsh, who is also here to accompany his stable star.

“There aren't a lot of Grade 1's for older horses this time of year,” said Walsh on Wednesday morning. “The timing is good for the horse, the mile and a quarter will be a good test. There were options at home (Fair Grounds in New Orleans) but this seemed like a good time to ship.”

Although he has rallied from far back in three out of his five starts, he pressed the pace en route to a 2 ½ length win in an ungraded stakes going 1 1/16 miles two starts back at Fair Grounds, demonstrating a versatility that further enhances his chances in the Big 'Cap.

When asked if he thought Maxfield would be as far back early as he was in his most recent start in the Mineshaft on Feb. 13, in which he was 11 lengths off the lead after the first half mile, Walsh responded: “No, he broke a little slow that day, there was a horse next to him that was acting up. We'll have to wait until the draw and take a look at the field, but he's been up close before and we'll just have to see where we want to be.”

Prominent among a solid local contingent is C R K Stable's Express Train, who comes of a huge 3 ¼ length win going a mile and one eighth in the Grade 2 San Pasqual Stakes on Jan. 30. Trained by John Shirreffs, Express Train, a 4-year-old colt by Union Rags, was second by 4 ½ lengths to potential superstar Charlatan going seven furlongs two starts back in the Grade 1 Malibu Stakes on Dec. 26 and will be ridden for the third consecutive time by Juan Hernandez.

A $500,000 Keeneland September Yearling, Express Train sat close to the pace in the San Pasqual and will likely employ similar tactics as he stretches out a furlong on Saturday. With three wins and as many seconds from eight starts, he appears to be coming to his best as Shirreffs and C R K seek their first victory in “The Granddaddy of Them All.”

A well beaten fifth in the opening day Malibu, trainer Michael McCarthy's Independence Hall rebounded with a big third place finish going a mile and one eighth in the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup Invitational at Gulfstream Park Jan. 23, a race in which he earned a Big 'Cap best last-out Beyer Speed figure of 104. A 4-year-old colt by Constitution, Independence Hall is owned by WinStar Farm, LLC, Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Twin Creeks Racing Stables LLC and RKV Racing, LLC and will be making his fourth start for McCarthy in the Big 'Cap and will again get the services of leading man Flavien Prat.

Originally trained by Michael Trombetta, Independence Hall was a Grade 3 winner in his second start at Aqueduct at age two and his fifth and final start with Trombetta, was a well beaten fifth at 3-1 in the Grade 1 Florida Derby four starts back on March 28, 2020. With four wins from eight overall starts, he, like the rest of the field, will be trying a mile and one quarter for the first time on Saturday.

Third as the even money favorite in the San Pasqual Jan. 30, Idol, who shipped in from Churchill Downs to run a close second at 4-1 in the Grade 2 San Antonio Stakes Dec. 26, finished like a horse who should run better with added distance, which is further evidenced by a 5 ¾ length allowance win going 1 3/16 miles at Churchill three starts back on Nov. 8.

Trained by Richard Baltas and owned by Calvin Nguyen, this 4-year-old colt by Curlin has been ridden by eastern-based Gabriel Saez in his last four starts, but will be handled for the first time Joel Rosario in the Big 'Cap. With an overall mark of 5-2-2-1, Idol rates a big chance to spring an upset.

Although a well beaten sixth in the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream Jan. 23, Coastal Defense lends credible depth to the Big 'Cap field for trainer Dale Romans. Currently based at Gulfstream, this 5-year-old full horse by Curlin was a close fourth in a pair of Kentucky Stakes two and three starts back—the Grade 1 Clark at Churchill Downs on Nov. 27 and the Grade 2 Fayette at Keeneland Sept. 27. Owned by Albaugh Family Stables, LLC and the Helen K. Groves Revocable Trust, Coastal Defense is stretching out a furlong off of three consecutive races at a mile and one eighth and can employ a stalking or off-the-pace style when ridden for the first time by John Velazquez.

THE GRADE 1 SANTA ANITA HANDICAP WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 10 of 11 Approximate post time 4:30 p.m. PT

Independence Hall—Flavien Prat—120
Maxfield—Florent Geroux—124
Kiss Today Goodbye—Mike Smith—119
Coastal Defense—John Velazquez—116
Express Train—Juan Hernandez—123
Idol—Joel Rosario—119
Tizamagician—Drayden Van Dyke—119
King Guillermo—Abel Cedillo–116

Special early first post time for an 11-race card, which will include three other graded stakes, is at 12 noon. All of Santa Anita's races can be viewed free of charge at santaanita.com/live and fans can wager via 1st.com/bet. For additional information, please visit santaanita.com or call (626) 574-RACE.

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‘Straight Six Will Suit Him Perfectly’: Walsh Planning Dubai Trip With Turf Sprinter Extravagant Kid

Irish-born U.S. trainer Brendan Walsh is ready to head back to the Dubai World Cup meeting, which should inspire all potential competitors to take notice. From his lone starter on the world-renowned card, the 24-time graded/group stakes winner has a victory with Plus Que Parfait in the 2019 $2.5 million UAE Derby (G2) to show for it. The former Godolphin employee looks to bring one of America's top turf sprinters back to his old stomping grounds in the form of DARRS Inc.'s Extravagant Kid for the Group 1 $1 million Al Quoz Sprint over a straight six furlongs.

“He's never ran a bad race and when he really shows up, he's right there,” Walsh said. “In the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (on Nov. 7), he was only beaten a length or so after a horrendous draw—14 out of 14—and going wide the whole way and lost a tone of ground. He's one of those horses who no matter the company he's in, he holds his own. He's done it on turf and dirt and it's always been in the back of my mind that he'd be a good horse to bring to Dubai. He's getting on in age and I think this is a good time to go.”

In his 50th start, Extravagant Kid he will hope to break a case of seconditis (runner-up in five of his past six efforts) while seeking his 15th career tally. He will also look to cure the bridesmaid status of American runners in the grass dash.

Over the past 10 runnings, his compatriots have done well, but fallen short of victory. California Flag and Green Mask were third in 2010 and 2015 and Long On Value was a brutal nose second in 2017. In 2018 and 2019, Americans finished second and third; Stormy Liberal and Conquest Tsunami in 2018 and Belvoir Bay and Stormy Liberal in the following edition.

“The straight six will suit him perfectly,” Walsh continued. “It'll be very interesting. I don't plan on doing anything with him to get him used to it once he's there. I think the novelty of something different in the race will help the horse. He's very smart and I'm waiting for him to one morning actually start talking to me—he's that intelligent. He's also tricky to ride and we always try to change things up to keep him interested. I think the travel, being in Dubai and the straight six furlongs might just work.”

A strong closer with enough tactical speed to make his own luck, the dark bay nine-time stakes winner ran a superb race in the aforementioned Breeders' Cup against some of the world's top turf sprinters. Breaking well from the outside post, he raced in mid-pack—between four- and six-wide throughout—before grinding his way past five horses to a fourth-place run, beaten two half-lengths and a head by Glass Slippers, Wet Your Whistle and Leinster. Finishing astern him that day were the likes of Got Stormy, Wildman Jack and Imprimis.

“I think he can operate from wherever,” Walsh explained. “He's never too far away. He's got a really high cruising speed, so I don't think he'll be too far back on a straight course. We'll see how the race is set up and where he's drawn and come up with a plan from there, but normally he's a horse who sits a few lengths off the lead and comes running.”

Walsh looks forward to hopefully making the trek to Dubai in person, but such is reliant on his obligations with his burgeoning stable that includes one of the nation's top-rated horses, Maxfield, and the highly exciting sophomore Prevalence. Both are owned by Godolphin, with the former running this Saturday in the prestigious Santa Anita Handicap (G1).

“He's a horse who gets your heart going, that's for sure, and he has all the talent in the world,” Walsh said of the former. “He's doing well and this will be a good test for him over 10 furlongs.”

His attention will thereafter shift markedly toward Dubai and hoping his Extravagant Kid flourishes in the land of excess.

“Dubai has a place in my heart and it always will,” the 47-year-old conditioner concluded. “It will be nice to have a horse who can come out there and compete again. We had a great time last time, but it's always great when you win. They always put on a great show and take care of you. It'll be a pleasure to come back.”

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‘A Good Test For Him’: Unbeaten Maxfield Confirmed For Santa Anita Handicap

Trainer Brendan Walsh confirmed to the Daily Racing Form on Sunday that the undefeated 4-year-old Maxfield will make his next start in Saturday's Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap in Arcadia, Calif. The Godolphin-owned son of Street Sense has won four stakes races in his stop-and-start career, including the Feb. 13 Mineshaft (G3) at his winter base, the Fair Grounds in New Orleans, La.

“It will be a good test for him to go a mile and a quarter and in a Grade 1 as well,” Walsh told drf.com. “It would be nice to win a Grade 1 as an older horse.”

Florent Geroux will travel west to ride the colt in the Big 'Cap.

Maxfield won the G1 Breeders' Futurity as a 2-year-old and was one of the leading contenders for the 2019 Breeders' Cup Juvenile before he an injury derailed those plans. Re-appearing as 3-year-old in the G3 Matt Winn Stakes at Churchill in May, Maxfield again dominated his competition, but another injury suffered in that race forced a seven-month layoff.

The colt returned to win the listed Tenacious Stakes at the Fair Grounds on Dec. 19, and added the Feb. 13 Mineshaft to his resume with a 3 1/4-length triumph. Maxfield has won all five of his career starts and boasts earnings of $615,262.

Maxfield Headed to Big ‘Cap

Undefeated and widely considered among the top horses in training, Maxfield (Street Sense) will make his next start in Saturday's GI Santa Anita H.

The news was first reported by TVG's Christina Blacker.

“He'll head out there tomorrow,” trainer Brendan Walsh said. “We're looking forward to it. The race has been on our radar for a while. At 1 1/4 miles, it's a nice race for him and the timing is good. It gives us a chance to win a Grade I. The race makes sense.”

With Maxfield being owned by Godolphin, the Mar. 27 G1 Dubai World Cup seemed like a logical spot for Maxfield, but Walsh said the connections wanted to keep him closer to home.

“We kind of wanted to keep the horse in this country,” he said. “He's still a lightly enough raced horse. We wanted to keep him here, try to make progress and get a solid year's racing out of him. We want to get a good body of racing into the horse.”

Maxfield showed his talent at the outset, winning a maiden race before capturing te GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity as a 2-year-old. But he missed out on the 2019 GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile, the 2020 Triple Crown races and the 2020 GI Breeders' Cup Classic due to some minor setbacks. In December, he returned to win the Tenacious S. at the Fair Grounds and then the GIII Mineshaft S. It was the first time in his career he was able to run in back-to-back races without a long break in between.

“It's been great,” Walsh said. “We always thought that the horse was super talented. That's been there for everyone to see. We came to New Orleans this winter and I thought it was great we were able to get those couple of runs into him. No disrespect to the horses he ran against down there, but we didn't have to face the very top horses in the country. That was a super important stepping stone for him for us to go ahead and take a step like he is going to take next Saturday. This will be a good test for him and a good experience for him to have to travel out to California.”

Walsh also provided an update on another star in his stable, Prevalence (Medaglia d'Oro). After he broke his maiden by 8 1/2 lengths, he was considered a possible starter in the GII Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth S., but had to miss the race after coming down with a temperature. He returned to the work tab Saturday, breezing a half-mile in :48.40 at Palm Meadows.

“It was a nice work and we were really happy with him,” the trainer said. “We'll probably try to find an allowance race at Gulfstream for him in the next book and go from there. We missed working him last week, so that eliminated any chance we might have had in running him in the Fountain of Youth. At the end of the day, he's only run one time, so it would have been a big ask to go against those horses. He's a lovely horse and I think he is progressing. He's going the right way.”

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