Tag: happy saver

Maxfield Sitting On Go For Whitney

Godolphin's once-beaten Maxfield (Street Sense) tuned up for next Saturday's GI Whitney S. at Saratoga Saturday morning, breezing a five-eighths of a mile in 1.01.61 (16/34) before turning in a strong gallop out.

Working in the company of the commonly owned Churchill maiden winner Business Model (Candy Ride {Arg}), Maxfield covered his opening quarter-mile in :24 3/5 and the half in :48 2/5 and pulled up six furlongs in a shade over 1:13, according to trainer Brendan Walsh.

“I just wanted the company to take him to the wire,” Walsh said. “I think the best part of it was the gallop out from the wire to an eighth out. He's doing good. I couldn't ask for more than that.”

Having tasted defeat for the first time when third behind Idol (Curlin) in the GI Santa Anita H. in March, the son of Velvety (Bernardini) has since posted facile scores in the GII Alysheba S. Apr. 30 and in the GII Stephen Foster S. June 26, securing a spot in the field for the GI Breeders' Cup Classic. The Whitney also serves as a 'Win and You're In' qualifier for that championship event.

A veteran of just eight racetrack appearances, the 4-year-old Maxfield will be making his Saratoga debut next weekend and for his part, Walsh believes his charge is enjoying his time at the Spa.

“He's doing as well as he's ever done right now,” Walsh said. “I hope he can run at least as well as he's done these last couple times and maybe even a little bit better. He likes it up here and is in a great frame of mind.”

Happy Saver Gearing Up…

Wertheimer et Frere's 'TDN Rising Star' Happy Saver (Super Saver), who defeated Godolphin 'Rising Star' Mystic Guide (Ghostzapper) in last year's GI Jockey Club Gold Cup last fall, could contest the Whitney after drilling a half-mile in :49.25 in the company of last-out GIII Monmouth Cup hero Dr Post (Quality Road).

Trainer Todd Pletcher indicated that both 4-year-old colts are also being considered for the GI TVG Pacific Classic Aug. 21 as he tries to keep the pair separated.

“I thought the work was solid,” Pletcher said. “We'll see how he [Happy Saver] bounces out of it. I haven't quite decided on the Whitney yet.

“There's also the Pacific Classic in-between,” he continued. “I just have to weigh my options. It might give me an opportunity to split the two of them up if I don't run Happy Saver in the Whitney.”

Winner of a one-mile Belmont allowance on seasonal debut May 28, Happy Saver is exiting an even third to Max Player (Honor Code) in a sloppy-track renewal of the GII Suburban S. downstate July 3.

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Maxfield Prepares For Whitney, Pletcher Considers Next Start For Happy Saver

Godolphin homebred Maxfield, trained by Brendan Walsh, worked five furlongs from the gate Saturday under Jose Ortiz in preparation for the $1 million Grade 1 Whitney on August 7 at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Spring, N.Y.

Maxfield, who breezed in company with 3-year-old maiden winner Business Model over the fast main track at 8:45 a.m., was caught by NYRA clockers through splits of :24.3 and :48.2, stopping the clock in 1:01.61.

“I just wanted the company to take him to the wire,” Walsh said. “I think the best part of it was the gallop out from the wire to an eighth out. I had him out in 1:13 and change. He's doing good. I couldn't ask for more than that.”

A winner of 7-of-8 starts, the 4-year-old Street Sense bay will enter the nine-furlong Whitney, a “Win and You're In” qualifier to November's Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Classic, from 3 1/4-length Grade 2 scores at Churchill Downs in the 1 1/16-mile Alysheba on April 30 and the Stephen Foster on June 26.

Walsh said Maxfield is thriving ahead of his first Saratoga start.

“He's doing as well as he's ever done right now,” Walsh said. “I hope he can run at least as well as he's done these last couple times and maybe even a little bit better. He likes it up here and is in a great frame of mind.”

Shortly after the Maxfield breeze, Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher sent out St. Elias Stable's multiple graded stakes winner Dr Post, last-out winner of the Grade 3 Monmouth Cup on July 17, in company with Wertheimer and Frere homebred Happy Saver to work a half-mile in :49.25.

Happy Saver, winner of last year's Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup, is under consideration for a start in the Whitney.

Pletcher said he is also considering the Grade 1 Pacific Classic on August 21 at Del Mar for both Dr Post and Happy Saver as he looks to keep the pair separated with the 10-furlong Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup, also a “Win and You're In' berth contest for the Breeders' Cup Classic, slated for September 5 at the Spa.

“I thought the work was solid,” Pletcher said. “We'll see how he [Happy Saver] bounces out of it. I haven't quite decided on the Whitney yet.

“There's also the Pacific Classic in-between,” he continued. “I just have to weigh my options. It might give me an opportunity to split the two of them up if I don't run Happy Saver in the Whitney.”

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Maxfield Retains Top Spot In Breeders’ Cup Classic Rankings

Godolphin's 4-year-old Maxfield, winner of the Stephen Foster Stakes (G2) on June 26, retained his lead over Mystic Guide and Essential Quality following the second week of voting in the Longines Breeders' Cup Classic Rankings, a weekly rating of the top 10 horses in contention for the $6 million Longines Breeders' Cup Classic (G1). This year's Longines Breeders' Cup Classic will be run at Del Mar racetrack in Del Mar, California, on Nov. 6 as the final race of the 38th Breeders' Cup World Championships.

Maxfield, who has also won the Mineshaft Stakes (G3) and the Alysheba Stakes (G2) this year for trainer Brendan Walsh, leads all Classic contenders with 18 first-place votes and 300 total votes. The 4-year-old Mystic Guide remains in second place despite his defeat by a neck to Max Player in Saturday's “Win and You're In” Suburban (G2) at Belmont Park. Trained by Mike Stidham, Mystic Guide, the Dubai World Cup (G1) winner, has 276 votes. Belmont Stakes (G1) winner Essential Quality, also owned by Godolphin, is in third place. Trained by Brad Cox, Essential Quality, winner of the 2020 TVG Breeders' Cup Juvenile presented by Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (G1), has 268 votes.

Boat Racing, Gainesway Stable, Roadrunner Racing, and William Strauss's Hot Rod Charlie, second in the Belmont Stakes, remains in fourth place with 175 votes for trainer Doug O'Neill. Winchell Thoroughbreds and Willis Horton Racing's 4-year-old Silver State, unbeaten in four starts this year, is in fifth place with 122 votes. Trained by Steve Asmussen, Silver State has won the Oaklawn Handicap (G2) and Belmont's Metropolitan Handicap (G1), a “Win and You're In” for the $1 million Big Ass Fans Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1) this year.

The big mover in the poll this week was Korea Racing Authority's Knicks Go, who dominated the Prairie Meadows Cornhusker Handicap (G3) last Friday with a 10 ¼-length victory. Also trained by Cox, Knicks Go, the 2020 Big Ass Fans Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1) winner, jumps from 11th to sixth place with 117 votes. WinStar Farm's 4-year-old Country Grammer, winner of the Hollywood Gold Cup (G1) at Santa Anita Park, retains seventh place with 105 votes.

Wertheimer and Frere's 4-year-old Happy Saver suffered his first career defeat after five wins when he finished third in the Suburban. Trained by Todd Pletcher, Happy Saver (84 votes) dropped from sixth to eighth place.

St. George Stable's 5-year-old mare Letruska stayed in ninth place with 80 votes. Trained by Fausto Gutierrez, Letruska has won four of five starts this year, including a 5 ¾-length victory in the Fleur de Lis Stakes (G2) at Churchill Downs on June 26.

Juddmonte's Mandaloun is the third Cox-trained horse in the top 10. Second in the Kentucky Derby (G1), Mandaloun (71 votes) dropped from eighth to 10th place.

The Longines Breeders' Cup Classic Rankings are determined by a panel of leading Thoroughbred racing media, horseplayers, and members of the Breeders' Cup Racing Directors/Secretaries Panel. Rankings will be announced each week through Oct. 11. A list of voting members can be found here.

In the Breeders' Cup Classic Rankings, each voter rates horses on a 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 system in descending order.

Longines Breeders' Cup Classic Rankings – July 6, 2021*

Rank Horse Votes First-Place Votes Previous Week
1 Maxfield 300 18 1
2 Mystic Guide 276 10 2
3 Essential Quality 268 3 3
4 Hot Rod Charlie 175 0 4
5 Silver State 122 0 5
6 Knicks Go 117 1 11
7 Country Grammer 105 1 7
8 Happy Saver 84 0 6
9 Letruska 80 0 9
10 Mandaloun 71 0 8

*Note – The Breeders' Cup Classic Rankings have no bearing on qualification or selection into the Breeders' Cup Classic.

The 2021 Longines Breeders' Cup Classic, which will be run at 1 ¼ miles on the main track, is limited to 14 starters. The race will be broadcast live on NBC.

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Pletcher Eyes Whitney For Happy Saver, Prepares Following Sea For Haskell

Hall of Fame Trainer Todd Pletcher sent out Wertheimer and Frere's Happy Saver and Repole Stable and Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners' Moretti to finish third and fourth, respectively, in Saturday's Grade 2 Suburban at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.

Happy Saver, who bested Mystic Guide in the Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup in October at Belmont, entered Saturday's test undefeated in five starts.

Leaving from the outermost post 6 in the Suburban under Irad Ortiz, Jr., Happy Saver tracked in fourth position, outside of Mystic Guide, as Moretti set the early splits.

Mystic Guide made a strong inside move into the turn but the four-wide Happy Saver failed to fire his best shot, closing to complete the trifecta as Max Player upset Mystic Guide by a neck.

“I thought Happy Saver ran well,” said Pletcher. “He was stuck wide the whole way around there from that post. It was a little bit of a tricky start but I thought he put in an honest effort. They both came back very well.”

Pletcher said he'll take some time to consider options, although the nine-furlong $1 million Grade 1 Whitney Stakes on August 7 at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. is a possibility.

“We'll see how he bounces out of it and consider the Whitney and the Jockey Club and play it by ear,” said Pletcher.

The Whitney offers a “Win and You're In” berth to the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Classic at Del Mar in Del Mar, Calif.

A number of Pletcher stars were on the work tab Sunday at Belmont, including Spendthrift Farm's Following Sea, a Runhappy colt, who is pointed to the nine-furlong $1 million Grade 1 Haskell Invitational on July 17 at Monmouth Park.

Following Sea breezed five-eighths in 1:00.80 over a dirt training track rated good.

“He breezed well and we're still on target for the Haskell,” said Pletcher.

Pletcher said Shadwell Stable's Malathaat, who worked a half-mile in :49.49 on the dirt training track, remains on target for the $500,000 Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks, a nine-furlong test for sophomore fillies on July 24 at Saratoga

“She looked great. Everything is going smoothly with her,” said Pletcher.

Shadwell Stable's Mahaamel, who was slated to start in Monday's $250,000 Grade 3 Dwyer, was clocked in :49.90 on the dirt training track.

“We were thinking about the Dwyer and unfortunately he got a bit of a cough and knocked us off a breeze last week. We'll consider an allowance race for him,” said Pletcher.

Pletcher's potential starters in Saturday's Turf Triple series races breezed a half-mile Sunday on the dirt training track with Con Lima [:50.59] targeting the $700,000 Grade 1 Belmont Oaks and CHC and WinStar Farm's Sainthood [:49.65] eyeing a turf debut in the $ 1 million Grade 1 Belmont Derby.

“They both breezed well and are on track for next weekend,” said Pletcher.

Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Joseph Graffeo, Del Toro, Eric Nikolaus, and Troy Johnson's Con Lima is exiting a sharp win in the nine-furlong Grade 3 Wonder Again on June 3 on the Belmont turf, while Sainthood captured an off-the-turf edition of the Grade 3 Pennine Ridge on May 29.

“We were hoping to get that turf try in the Pennine Ridge but it ended up working out OK, so we'll find out next week,” said Pletcher.

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