Shared Sense Leads Contentious Tenacious Stakes; Just Might Faces Comebacking Manny Wah In Scherer Memorial

Somewhat of an afterthought when the top horses in the Brad Cox barn are discussed, the Godolphin homebred Shared Sense has already put together a career that includes a pair of graded stakes scores and nearly $540,000 in earnings. He'll look to build on that resume as the 5-2 morning line favorite for Sunday's $75,000 Tenacious Stakes to be run over 1 1/16 miles at the Fair Grounds.

The winner of both the Indiana Derby (G3) and the Oklahoma Derby (G3) during his sophomore campaign, the 4-year-old ridgling by Street Sense has raced only three times this year. He finished a disappointing fifth in the Shaefer Memorial at Indiana Grand in his seasonal debut this summer, but bounced back with a game win the Tri State at Ellis Park. In his most recent run, he finished a hard-fought third behind his highly decorated stablemate Knicks Go in the Lukas Classic (G3) at Churchill Downs.

“He is a very, very hard trying horse,” Cox said. “I feel like he's moved forward from age three to four. We've always liked him, but to pick up two Grade 3's at age three, I thought that was a nice achievement. He's somewhat lightly raced. It took us a little while to get him back in the swing of things, but once we did, he started running well. The Schaeffer I don't have an answer for you there on him that day. We loved him that day but he didn't show up and we kind of hit the reset button with him.”

“We found the right spot for him (in the Tri State) and then I thought he ran a really good race in the Lukas Classic,” Cox continued. “He had a little bit of a setback after that race and we lost a little bit of time, but he has been training well. On a good day he can be a good grade three horse.”

A deep closer earlier in his career, Shared Sense has shown the ability to sit much closer early on in his recent starts.

“He has been able to put himself into the race a little bit more now,” Cox said. I don't know if that is him maturing a little bit or what but he definitely doesn't make it as tough on himself as he used to. He is a pretty basic work horse. His work last week was a really good work and that gives me confidence in him going into this race.”

A maiden winner at Fair Grounds on New Year's Day 2020, Lloyd Madison Farms IV's Major Fed would go on to finish second in a division of the Risen Star (G2) and then a better than it looks fourth in the Louisiana Derby (G1). Second behind Shared Sense in the Indiana Derby that year, he would later finish 10th of 15 in the Kentucky Derby, which was run in September. He has two allowance wins from four tries this year, and the long Fair Grounds stretch should work in his favor. At 9-2 in the morning line, trainer Greg Foley will give a leg up to Mitchell Murrill aboard the the 4-year-old son of Ghostzapper who will leave from post two of 10.

With a post time of 3:33 p.m. CT, the Tenacious is scheduled as race 8 on the 13-race card. The remainder of the field with post position, jockey/trainer and morning line odds is as follows: Pravin Patel's Ebben (post 1, Adam Beschizza/Juan Cano, 12-1 ML), a participant in both the 2018 Lecomte (G3) and Risen Star (G2) who was last seen winning a third-level optional claiming allowance over seven furlongs at Churchill; Floyd Sagely Properties and Keith Johnston's Trident Hit (post 3, David Cabrera/Ron Moquett, 6-1 ML), a four-time winner who finished fourth in the JA Hawk Memorial at Remington Park last out; Gulliver Racing, Craig Drager and Dan Legan's Pirate's Punch (post four, Corey Lanerie/Grant Forster, 10-1 ML), a two-time graded stakes winner who finished third in the 2020 edition of the locally run Mineshaft (G3); LTB and Miles Childers' Warrior in Chief (post six, Marcelino Pedroza, Jr./Bernie Flint, 20-1 ML), a four-time winner who earned black type by finishing a distant third in the mud two starts back in the Salute the Hero at Indiana Grand; Fly P Stable's Little Menace (post 7, Colby Hernandez/Tom Morley, 10-1 ML), who was claimed for $40,000 out of an authoritative victory over 1 1/16 miles at Churchill Downs last out; Lothenbach Stables' Happy American (post nine, James Graham/Neil Pessin, 10-1 ML), the winner of consecutive allowance races in scintillating, off the pace fashion at Churchill Downs; and the Estate of Jim Coleman, Jr.'s Chess Chief (post ten, Reylu Gutierrez/Dallas Stewart, 10-1 ML), the winner of the New Orleans Classic (G2) on March 21.

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Just Might Returns to Turf to Take on Comebacking Manny Wah in Richie Scherer Memorial

If you saw the race, there's no way you've forgotten Manny Wah's first time on turf. Last with a half furlong to go in January's Duncan F. Kenner Stakes, Miguel Mena sent Susan Moulton's 12.80-1 Manny Wah flying by six foes, the last of which was hard-used dueler, Just Might. Visually stunning, the only questions in people's minds were — why hadn't this 2019 Triple Crown nominee tried turf before and when would he get back on this surface. Wait no longer, the 16th renewal of the Richard R. Scherer Memorial $75,000 Stakes turf sprint is here.

Just Might was there for Manny Wah's next attempt in the Colonel Power last February but that day was rained off the turf, and Just Might held court again on the lead to win. Since then, 2-1 morning line favorite Just Might has won five out his last eight, including two stakes on the turf.

“He's won a lot of stakes on the turf and he likes this turf course,” Lovell said. “He's doing awesome so I thought we ought to give it a try. Hopefully he shows up like he has been, you know he's been so honest, and it's a nice race. He's been super. My horse is doing super. I pray for a great race and a safe one.”

Thanksgiving Classic romper Just Might's last four races have been on dirt. He won three of those, and was severely compromised in the Phoenix (G2) at Keeneland when he suffered a severe quarter crack. Back on turf where he has 4 wins out of 21 turf sprint tries, Just Might breaks from post 5 with Colby Hernandez back aboard. This 5-year old gelding owned by Michelle Lovell and Griffon Farms seems at the top of his game.

Manny Wah (post 8, 9/2 morning line, jockey Core Lanerie) has been on the shelf. But he's back, and this feisty bay 5-year old looks to come with the late kick to win again.

“That was a very explosive move he made when we ran him on the turf here the last time,” Manny Wah's trainer Wayne Catalno said. “He's everybody's favorite horse. It's nice having him back. We're really happy with him being back in action. He had a few minor things going on, some bone bruising, he just needed plenty of time. Our goal now is to get him ready for the Breeders' Cup this year. He could have won it last year.”

Finishing third in the Thanksgiving Classic to Just Might, Al Stall Jr's Pyron (8-1 morning line) earned a 96 Bris speed figure last out–only 4 points shy of Just Might's 100. Declan Carroll keeps the mount on this versatile runner who has 0 wins out of 3 starts on the grass but is making his first start on turf as a much improved 5-year old. Pyron will be coming late.

Mark Casse sends Lucky Curlin (8-1 morning line) out from post number 3. He scored his best Bris speed figure in his one win on the turf, where came running from behind at 7 furlongs against first-level optional claimers at Woodbine. Florent Geroux takes the mount on this 4-year old who has finished second twice against graded stakes company.

The rest of the field has early speed.

Steve Asmussen's Grinning Tiger (8-1 morning line, jockey Adam Bescizza) is another horse that shocked-and-awed when trying something new. In the $100k Crystal Waters on June 6, 2020 at Santa Anita, this seven-time dirt winner wired the field going 1 mile on the turf at odds of 92.00-1, holding off graded stakes star Lieutenant Dan. Breaking from the rail, front-runner Grinning Tiger is in deep against this field but seems to be in form after scoring his first turf sprint win while being put up for a $40k tag against first-level optional claimers at Remington Park.

Breaking from the 4-hole, The Connecter (6-1 morning line) will attempt to win his fourth turf sprint with Angel Suarez up. He will be making his second start for trainer Darien Rodriguez after finishing third in the $90k Metzen Memorial on December 4th at Gulfstream.

Turf sprint stakes winner Firecrow (post 7, 5-1 morning line, jockey Reylu Gutierrez,) has proven he can win on the lead or just off it for trainer Ronald Moquett.

And just outside of Manny Wah, turf sprint specialist Field Day makes his first start since finishing third in the Dade Park Dash at Ellis Park on July 4th, 2021. Breaking from post 9, Brian Hernandez Jr will likely send this 10-1 morning line front runner.

After a game defeat to Midnight Tea Time in last Saturday's third-level optional claimer at Fair Grounds, Juan Cano's Mr. Hustle will scratch.

Post Time is 3:02 pm CT. The Richard R. Scherer Memorial is race 7 of a 13 race Road to the Derby Kickoff Day card.

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Maxfield Past ‘Hiccup’ In Training, Potential Targets Include Mineshaft, Saudi Cup

Though a minor illness knocked undefeated Maxfield out of contention for this weekend's Pegasus World Cup, the 4-year-old son of Street Sense has fully recovered and recorded a half-mile breeze in :49.80 last Saturday at the Fair Grounds.

According to the Daily Racing Form, trainer Brendan Walsh and the Godolphin ownership are planning to start Maxfield in either the $20 million Saudi Cup on Feb. 20, or the G3 Mineshaft Handicap at the Fair Grounds on Feb. 13.

“He looked good and he came back good,” Walsh told drf.com on Wednesday. “It seems like he got over that little hiccup just fine. He trained this morning before I left, and he looks great.”

Maxfield won the G1 Breeders' Futurity in 2019 at Keeneland, then missed the Breeders' Cup due to injury. He returned to win Churchill's G3 Matt Winn Stakes in May of 2020, but missed time again until he returned to win the listed Tenacious Stakes at the Fair Grounds on Dec. 19.

Read more at the Daily Racing Form.

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Maxfield Still Unbeaten After Winning Return In Tenacious At Fair Grounds

A bit of an enigma despite an undefeated record coming in, the Godolphin homebred Maxfield once again answered the immediate question in front of him, taking the Tenacious Stakes in what was just his second start as a 3-year-old to cap the 13-race Santa Super Saturday program at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots in New Orleans, La.

Twice derailed by ankle injuries, the Brendan Walsh trainee returned from his second extended layoff to win for the fourth consecutive time to begin his career.

“I'm relieved,” Walsh said. “It's nice to get him back (to the races) and have him run so well. He was working so well going into it, you're just looking for confirmation. He gave us what we needed to see. Hopefully he comes out of it ok and we move forward from here.”

Away alertly for jockey Florent Geroux, who won four races on the day, the sophomore son of Street Sense put himself in a perfect pressing position just off the flank of the pacesetting Cool Bobby through moderate fractions of 24.63 and 48.39. The .50-1 favorite then engaged the leader on the far turn, took over at the top of the stretch, and won by a comfortable 2 ½ lengths in a final time of 1:42.35 for 1 1/16 miles over a fast track. Sonneman finished well late to be second and it was another 1 ¼ lengths back to Dinar in third.

“This is a horse who is maturing,” Geroux said. “When I worked him out of the gate a few weeks ago, he was very sharp away from there, so I was pretty confident he'd be up closer than he had been in his previous races. He got me in a great position and he was in a nice rhythm. He was comfortable and happy and I loved my spot. Turning for home he gave me another gear and I kept him busy all the way to the wire because I wanted to make sure he got something out of it.”

Off slowly in the career debut over a one turn mile at Churchill and the subsequent start in the Breeders' Futurity (G1) at Keeneland, before rattling home late to win both, Maxfield was forced to miss the Breeders' Cup Juvenile with an ankle chip. When the Kentucky Derby was pushed back to the first Saturday in September due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the connections were in a better position to bring their prized colt back slowly.

A return run in the Matt Winn (G3) on May 23 at Churchill proved to be adventurous, but successful. Five-wide and shuffled back while in tight on the first turn and hung seven-wide on the bend for home, Maxfield leveled off in the stretch before running down Ny Traffic late, and with a little in reserve.

“He was immature as a 2-year-old,” Walsh said. “I think he would have been more prominent in the Matt Winn in May if he hadn't been stopped a couple of times.”

Following a June 10 workout at Keeneland which came in preparation for the Blue Grass (G2) Stakes, Maxfield was discovered to have a non-displaced condylar fracture in his right front cannon bone. Following a successful surgery, he resumed serious training in late October, and Walsh thought the Tenacious would be the perfect race to get Maxfield back in the game.

“He was a little fresh tonight, so maybe he was a little more aggressive than normal,” Walsh said. “I don't think he's a deep closer by any means. He's a stronger horse this year and I think we can ride him more prominently.”

When asked about a potential next start for Maxfield, Walsh was non-committal.

“All options are open,” Walsh said. “We will see how he comes out of the race, talk it over with the team at Godolphin and figure out the best plan going forward.”

Maxfield's career bankroll now stands at $489,262.

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Maxfield Returns a Winner at the Fair Grounds

The Tenacious S. at Fair Grounds was the site of the eagerly anticipated return of MAXFIELD (c, 3, Street Sense–Velvety, by Bernardini), whose stop-and-start nature of his career due to injury has done nothing to diminish the excitement surrounding the undefeated colt. Bursting onto the scene in September of 2019 in a one-mile Churchill maiden, he won like a good horse and promptly made the jump to the GI Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity at Keeneland, winning by 5 1/2 lengths to be slated as one of the top contenders for the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. He missed the race due to an ankle injury and surgery to remove a chip. Back in May of this year, he captured the GIII Matt Winn S. with a 95 Beyer in just his third career start and was immediately nabbed as one of the hot prospects for the delayed GI Kentucky Derby, but a condylar fracture kept him in the barn.

Returning to competition again in the Tenacious, Maxfield picked up right where he left off in his return to action, taking his record to a perfect four-for-four. Glued to pacesetting Cool Bobby (Shanghai Bobby)’s outside hip through a :24.63 opening quarter, the 1-2 chalk kept after the leader as the half went in :48.39. The sleek dark bay drew even with Cool Bobby entering the turn and shrugged him off in early stretch, skipping clear for a 2 1/2-length score in 1:43.35.

Out of the winning Bernardini mare Velvety, Maxfield has a yearling half-sister by Medaglia d’Oro. Velvety’s 2020 foal–a full-sibling to Maxfield–died and the mare was bred to Uncle Mo for next term. Velvety is a daughter of the Storm Cat mare Caress, a MGSW who sold for $3.1 million at the 2000 Keeneland November sale. Caress is not only a full-sister to sire Bernstein from the family of champion Outstandingly (Exclusive Native) and a number of other high-class stakes winners, but she is also the dam of two graded winners herself, including GISW and sire Sky Mesa (Pulpit).

TENACIOUS S., $75,000, Fair Grounds, 12-19, 3yo/up, 1 1/16m, 1:43.35, ft.
1–MAXFIELD, 115, c, 3, Street Sense–Velvety, by Bernardini.
O/B-Godolphin, LLC (KY); T-Brendan P. Walsh; J-Florent
Geroux. $46,500. Lifetime Record: GISW, 4-4-0-0, $489,262.
2–Sonneman, 117, c, 3, Curlin–Zardana (Brz), by Crimson Tide
(Ire). ($375,000 Ylg ’18 KEESEP). O-Courtlandt Farms (Donald
& Donna Adam); B-Arnold Zetcher LLC (KY); T-Steven M.
Asmussen. $15,000.
3–Dinar, 118, c, 4, Union Rags–Internal Affair, by Orientate.
($80,000 RNA Ylg ’17 KEESEP; $145,000 RNA 2yo ’18 FTFMAR;
$90,000 2yo ’18 OBSOPN). O-Al Rashid Stables, LLC; B-Royal
Oak Farm (KY); T-Cherie DeVaux. $7,500.
Margins: 2HF, 1 1/4, 4 1/4. Odds: 0.50, 3.60, 19.10.
Also Ran: Cool Bobby, Captivating Moon, Mocito Rojo, Locally Owned.
Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.

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