Woodward, Cigar Mile Among Races Downgraded

The American Graded Stakes Committee released its list of graded stakes for 2023 Friday and it includes five races that were downgraded from Grade I status to Grade II races, including two of NYRA's more prestigious races for older dirt horses, the Woodward and the Cigar Mile H. Also dropping down from the Grade I to the Grade II level were the Clark S. at Churchill Downs, the Starlet S. at Los Alamitos and the Rodeo Drive S. at Santa Anita.

The Woodward was, perhaps, the most surprising inclusion on the list of newly appointed Grade II races. Twenty winners of the race have made their way into the Hall of Fame, including Kelso, Buckpasser, Forego, Seattle Slew, Affirmed, Spectacular Bid and Cigar. But the race has struggled somewhat in recent years as the NYRA racing department tried to figure out where it fit best on the calendar on how to juggle a glut of late summer-early fall races for the handicap division, including the GI Jockey Club Gold Cup. In 2006, the Woodward was moved from Belmont Park to Saratoga. The race was moved back to Belmont in 2021, trading places with the Jockey Club Gold Cup, which was switched to Saratoga. This year's Woodward was won by a top horse in Life Is Good (Into Mischief), but the race drew only four horses and the three challengers to Life Is Good were a fairly weak lot.

The Cigar Mile was inaugurated in 1988 and initially run as the NYRA Mile. Winners include Forty Niner, Cigar, Tonalist (Tapit) and Maximum Security (New Year's Day). This year's race did not come up particularly strong as Mind Control (Stay Thirsty) beat five others.

One race, the Stephen Foster S., was upgraded from Grade II to Grade I status. The race had been a Grade I through 2018 when it was downgraded. This year's winner was Olympiad (Speightstown).

A total of 97 Grade I races will be contested in 2023.

The committee reviewed 901 stakes races and assigned graded status to 440 of them, nine fewer than were graded in 2022.

Three races were upgraded to Grade II's, the Beaumont S., the Franklin S. and the Ladies Sprint S. Seven races were downgraded from Grade II to Grade III status for 2023: the Sorrento S. at Del Mar; Dinner Party S. at Pimlico; Monrovia S., San Carlos S., San Marcos S. and Santa Ynez S. at Santa Anita Park; and Tampa Bay Derby at Tampa Bay Downs. Four races were upgraded to Grade III status for 2023: the Manila S. at Belmont Park; Blame S. and Shawnee S. at Churchill Downs; and Music City S. at Kentucky Downs. Twelve races were downgraded from Grade III to Listed status for 2023.

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‘So Effortless’: Maxfield Completes Final Preparations For Clark Swansong

Godolphin's multiple graded stakes-winning colt Maxfield completed his major preparation Friday for next week's Grade 1, $750,000 Clark presented by Norton Healthcare with a five-furlong move at Churchill Downs in 1:01.20.

Under the watchful eye of trainer Brendan Walsh, Maxfield completed his final work before the Nov. 26 Clark under assistant trainer and exercise rider Tom Molloy. The seven-time winner is set to retire from racing following the Clark and stand at Godolphin's Jonabell Farm in Lexington, Ky.

“We'll certainly all miss him around the barn,” Walsh said. “This horse just cruises over this racetrack. He simply loves it at Churchill. He's doing everything great leading into this race and we'll be ready to go come Friday.”

Molloy, who regularly gallops and works some of Walsh's top horses, is set to begin his own training career following the Clark. The Ireland-native and former jockey has worked as an assistant trainer since 2015 and is poised to make his first start at Turfway Park in December.

“I've been on Maxfield at various racetracks around the country and I've never seen a horse that likes it at Churchill as much as he does,” Molloy said. “He's just so effortless when he hits the ground here.”

Maxfield holds a perfect record from four starts at Churchill Downs. The Street Sense colt won the $600,000 Stephen Foster (G2) in June and the $400,000 Alysheba (G2) on the undercard of the Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1).

Entries for Friday's 1 1/8-mile Clark will be taken Sunday. The 147th renewal of the race is expected to include a talented field of colts and geldings such as Winchell Thoroughbreds' Grade 3 winner and multiple Grade 1 placed colt Midnight Bourbon. The Steve Asmussen runner has been training consistently at Churchill Downs following his eventful runner-up effort to Hot Rod Charlie in the $1 million Pennsylvania Derby (G1) where he was forced very wide into the final turn.

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Maxfield To Skip Breeders’ Cup Classic In Favor Of Clark

After runner-up finishes in both the G1 Whitney and G1 Woodward this year, Godolphin's Maxfield will skip the Breeders' Cup Classic. According to the Daily Racing Form, the 4-year-old son of Street Sense will instead target the Grade 1 Clark Handicap at Churchill Downs on Nov. 26.

“He has such a good record at Churchill. We're going to skip California with him altogether,” trainer Brendan Walsh told DRF. “It's very important for him to win a Grade 1 this year. This probably gives him his best chance to get a Grade 1 at this stage of his career.”

Maxfield has won each of his four races at Churchill, including the G2 Stephen Foster earlier this year. In his 10 career starts, Maxfield owns seven wins, two seconds, and a third, with earnings of $1,550,902.

Read more at the Daily Racing Form.

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Pegasus World Cup Is ‘Likely Next Spot’ For Newly-Minted Grade 1 Winner Bodexpress

Top Racing, Global Thoroughbred and GDS Racing Stable's Bodexpress is set to make his return journey to South Florida on Monday following his 11-1 upset victory in Friday's Grade 1, $500,000 Clark presented by Norton Healthcare at Churchill Downs

“Everything is good,” said Gustavo Delgado Jr., the assistant to his father. “He'll spend a few days in Ocala, Fla. before returning to Gulfstream Park West. Gulfstream Park is our home track. So, the likely next spot could be the ($3 million) Pegasus (G1).”

Bodexpress, most known for his antics in the 2019 Preakness Stakes, gave jockey Rafael Bejarano his first victory in the Clark.

“It means a lot to my career to win this race,” Bejarano said. “I spent many years at Churchill in the past and this was always a big race to win in the Fall Meet. I'm glad we were able to do so now that I'm back home in Kentucky.”

Bodexpress improved his overall record to 4-4-3 through 17 starts. The 4-year-old son of Bodemeister has now banked $694,600 in earnings.

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