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Unbeaten First Captain Progresses In Dwyer; McGaughey Eyes Travers

Highly-regarded First Captain lived up to his connections' aspirations, tracking a moderate pace along the rail and taking control in mid-stretch to remain undefeated while conquering his first stakes test in Monday's Grade 3, $250,000 Dwyer at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.

Trained by Hall of Famer Shug McGaughey for owners West Point Thoroughbreds, Siena Farm, Woodford Racing and Bobby Flay, First Captain arrived at the one-turn mile for 3-year-olds off a first-level victory against winners at Belmont on May 29.

The talented chestnut posted a sharp debut score by three-quarters of a length over eventual winners Mahaamel and Repo Rocks going seven furlongs over Big Sandy on April 24.

First Captain broke toward the rear of the compact five-horse field while Ridin With Biden was first in command through an opening quarter-mile in 23.47 seconds over the fast main track, 1 ½ lengths clear of Gershwin and Snow House, who battled for second.

Ridin With Biden's lead dwindled through a half-mile in 46.67 as jockey Jose Ortiz started getting busy aboard First Captain, who made a four-wide bid around the far turn.

First Captain confronted the pacesetter just past the eighth-pole en route to a 1 3/4-length score, completing the journey in 1:36.19. Ridin With Biden held second by a half-length over Snow House. Gershwin and Civil War competed the order of finish.

Ortiz, who piloted First Captain in both of his previous efforts, said First Captain improved significantly.

“Last time, he was in the clear most of the time. Today, he was a lot better. He was behind horses and took some dirt,” Ortiz said. “They were running. They went 46 and when I put him in the clear it took me awhile to get into high gear, but when he did it, he used that beautiful stride of his. He went by them as he is supposed to, and he galloped out really well. I think he's going to improve with distance.”

First Captain provided McGaughey with his fourth Dwyer triumph, adding to a list that includes Seeking the Gold [1988], Coronado's Quest [1998] and Code of Honor [2019]. The latter two went on to win their respective year's edition of the Grade 1 Travers at Saratoga.

McGaughey said he would consider a start in the Grade 1, $1.25 Runhappy Travers on August 28 at Saratoga Race Course, but also didn't rule out the Grade 2, $600,000 Jim Dandy on July 31 – the Spa's local prep for the Mid-Summer Derby.

“We'll take a look at it,” McGaughey said. “I'll see how he comes back and how he is when he gets up there. That would be the best-case scenario. I'm glad to get this one.”

Terry Finley of West Point Thoroughbreds said they initially considered running in his sire's namesake race, the nine-furlong $120,000 Curlin on July 30 at Saratoga, but the opportunity to garner a graded stakes win could not be passed up.

“He's never going to be a horse that just dazzles you, but you can tell he's just starting to get going,” Finley said. “We're very happy with him. We would have loved to have got him a little further in his third start, but it just wasn't to be. We were going back and forth to run in the Curlin, but this spot came up and it was too attractive. Now, I guess we can go to the Jim Dandy or wait for the Travers.”

Now 3-for-3, First Captain banked $137,500 in victory, over doubling his lifetime earnings to $237,500. Going off as the 2-5 favorite, First Captain returned $2.80 for a $2 win bet.

“He was a lot steadier today. I knew he was winning his first two races on ability, but I didn't really know what to think of him,” McGaughey said. “Today, he showed me something, especially that two turns is going to be in the bag, I think. I liked the way he took the dirt; he took it a lot better today than he did the last time. He was a little further back than I thought he would be. But that's why they are what they are. I thought we were in pretty good shape coming up to the quarter-pole.”

Bred in Kentucky by Bobby Flay, First Captain is by multiple-champion producing sire Curlin and out of the graded stakes-winning A.P. Indy broodmare America. He is a direct descendant of influential broodmare Best in Show – a prominent line that includes American classic winners Jazil, Rags to Riches and War of Will, as well as Grade/Group 1 turf winners Peeping Fawn, Denon, Good Journey, Chimes of Freedom, Spinning World, Domedriver, and popular Japanese champion Almond Eye.

First Captain was a $1.5 million acquisition from the 2019 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Yearling Sale, where he was consigned by Stone Farm.

Live racing resumes on Friday afternoon with a nine-race card. First post is 1 p.m. ET.

NYRA Bets is the official wagering platform of Belmont Park, and the best way to bet every race of the 48-day spring/summer meet. Available to horseplayers nationwide, the NYRA Bets app is available for download today on iOS and Android at www.NYRABets.com.

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Army Wife Marches To Iowa Oaks Victory; Stilleto Boy Tiptoes On Lead For Derby Upset

Coming off an impressive victory in the Grade 2 George E. Mitchell Black-Eyed Susan Stakes on May 14, Army Wife invaded Prairie Meadows in Altoona, Iowa, to take Friday night's Grade 3, $225,000 Iowa Derby by 3 3/4 lengths as the even-money favorite.

The Oaks was one of two graded stakes on the night, along with the G3 Prairie Meadows Cornhusker Handicap. The third big race of the evening was the $250,000 Iowa Derby

Trained by Mike Maker and racing for W. Kirk Wycoff's Three Diamonds Farm, Army Wife was ridden to victory by Joel Rosario, who was aboard the Declaration of War filly for the first time in the Black-Eyed Susan at Pimlico. She covered 1 1/16 miles in 1:43.10 and paid $4 to win, It was her fourth victory from nine career starts.

Shesa Mystery finished second, with 8-5 second choice Pauline's Pearl 2 1/2 lengths farther back in third and The Grass Is Blue fourth in the field of six 3-year-old fillies. Sister Annie finished fifth, with Windmill trailing the field. Oliviaofthedesert was scratched.

Rosario was content to secure a cozy spot on the rail aboard Army Wife, who raced in fourth position early and in the run down the backstretch. Sister Annie hung up fractions of :24.27, :48.18 and 1:12.06 for the first six furlongs, with Shesa Mystery putting pressure on her going into the far turn.

Sister Annie and Shesa Mystery battled for the lead on the turn for home, but Rosario had them both measured, swinging Army Wife off the rail three wide into the stretch, hitting the front nearing the eighth pole and drawing off for the victory.

In the $250,000 Iowa Derby, New York-based jockey Jose Ortiz gunned Stilleto Boy to the lead at the start and the Kentucky-bred gelding by Shackleford relaxed on the front end, repelled a challenge from Flash of Mischief around the far turn, then cruised to victory by 4 1/2 lengths.

Trained by Doug Anderson and bred by John and Iveta Kerber, the Iowa Derby winner is owned by the Kerbers, Michael Coleman, Aaron Kennedy and trainer Anderson. Stilleto Boy was winning for the second time in seven career starts, having earned his maiden diploma in his fifth start, going wire to wire at Oaklawn Park on April 17. In his most recent start, Stilleto Boy finished fourth after never getting the lead in the Prairie Mile Stakes at Prairie Meadows on June 4.

Sent off the longest shot in the field of six (following scratches of Proxy, Bourbon Thunder and Snow House), Stilleto Boy paid $35.40 for the win. He ran the 1 1/16 miles on a fast track in 1:42.64 after setting fractions of :23.79, :47.73, 1:11.48 and 1:36.12.

“We wanted him on the front end and Jose did a fantastic job of getting him there,” said Andersen.

Flash of Mischief, who chased Stilleto Boy throughout, held second as a 12-1 outsider for trainer Karl Broberg, with Gagetown2 1/2 lengths back in third and 2-1 second choice Super Stock a neck back in fourth. Nova Rags, the 9-5 favorite, finished fifth, with Rightandjust trailing the field.

Jose Ortiz and Stilleto Boy upset the Iowa Derby

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Maxfield Reigns Supreme in Stephen Foster

Godolphin homebred Maxfield (Street Sense) put on a show at Churchill Downs yet again with a dazzling victory in the GII Stephen Foster S., a “Win and You're In” for the GI Breeders' Cup Classic. Running off the fence early, the 2-5 chalk settled in sixth as longshots Empty Tomb (Speightstown) and Sprawl (City Zip) duked it out through opening splits of :23.33 and :46.88. Making an eye-catching move up the outside on the backstretch run, the dark bay swiftly picked off rivals, flying up to take charge at the quarter pole. It was all over from there. With Jose Ortiz still motionless in the irons, Maxfield charged home down the fourth path to win as he pleased by 3 1/2 lengths. Warrior's Charge (Munnings) filled the place spot and Sprawl held third.

“It was a really good performance,” trainer Brendan Walsh said. “It looks like he continues to improve all the time. Thankfully now he's been good and healthy. Our goal has been to get a good string of races into him and that's starting to happen. I'm glad to get over another obstacle today. We'll hope he comes out of today's race in good order and we'll move on to the next one.”

“I just sort of had to stay out of his way,” said Ortiz. “He has a big stride and does it so nicely. It's great to be back here at Churchill with this horse. He seems to be getting better and loves it here.”

“We had a lot of confidence today,” said Godolphin's North American President Jimmy Bell. “He settled down up the backside and down the lane he finished in a strong hand ride. It's his fourth start of the year, so it's good to see the succession of races coming together. We can look at the [Aug. 7 GI] Whitney as a primary target.”

With Maxfield and G1 Dubai World Cup winner Mystic Guide (Ghostzapper), who is expected to make his next start in the July 3 GII Suburban H., Godolphin has a strong hold on the older male division. The powerhouse operation also won the G1 Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby earlier Saturday with Hurricane Lane (Ire) (Frankel {GB}).

Maxfield was two-for-two as a juvenile, following his debut win at Churchill in 2019 with a decisive victory in the GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity S. He was the early favorite for the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile, but was forced to scratch with a minor lameness. Making a victorious return in this venue's GIII Matt Winn S. last May, he was forced off the Triple Crown trail with a condylar fracture. Making yet another comeback in the Tenacious S. at the Fair Grounds in December, the dark bay proved no worse for wear with a facile score and followed suit with a win in that venue's GIII Mineshaft S. Feb. 13. Maxfield suffered the first loss of his career when trying 10-panels for the first time in the GI Santa Anita H. Mar. 6, but rebounded with a dominant victory in the local GII Alysheba S. Apr. 30.

Pedigree Notes:

Maxfield was the second graded winner of the day for Street Sense, following Zaajel's upset in the GII Mother Goose S. at Belmont. His dam Velvety is also responsible for an unraced sophomore colt named Dubai Vision (Medaglia d'Oro) and an unraced 2-year-old filly named Loved (Medaglia d'Oro). Her 2020 colt by Street Sense died, but she produced an Uncle Mo colt Mar. 20 of this year. The winner's second dam is MGSW Caress (Storm Cat), who is responsible for Grade I-winning stallion Sky Mesa (Pulpit) and MGSW & GISP Golden Velvet (Seeking the Gold), who in produced GSWs Lucullan (Hard Spun) and Innovative Idea (Bernardini). This is also the family of MGSW sires Bernstein (Storm Cat) and Good Samaritan (Harlan's Holiday); GSW & GISP Country Cat (Storm Cat); and MGSW & GISP sire Della Francesca (Danzig).

Saturday, Churchill Downs
STEPHEN FOSTER S.-GII, $600,000, Churchill Downs, 6-26, 4yo/up, 1 1/8m, 1:48.53, ft.
1–MAXFIELD, 121, c, 4, by Street Sense
                1st Dam: Velvety, by Bernardini
                2nd Dam: Caress, by Storm Cat
                3rd Dam: La Affirmed, by Affirmed
O/B-Godolphin (KY); T-Brendan P. Walsh; J-Jose L. Ortiz.
$357,120. Lifetime Record: GISW, 8-7-0-1, $1,265,902.
   Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*.
   Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Warrior's Charge, 119, h, 5, Munnings–Battling Brook, by
Broken Vow. O-Ten Strike Racing & Madaket Stables LLC; B-Al
Shaquab Racing (FL); T-Brad H. Cox. $115,200.
3–Sprawl, 119, c, 4, City Zip–Amen Again, by Awesome Again.
O/B-Claiborne Farm & Adele B. Dilschneider (KY); T-Thomas
Drury, Jr. $57,600.
Margins: 3 1/4, 2, 2 3/4. Odds: 0.40, 7.20, 12.80.
Also Ran: South Bend, Chess Chief, Empty Tomb, Necker Island, Visitant, Silver Dust. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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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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