‘He seems to be getting better.’ Maxfield wins Stephen Foster with breathtaking move.
Maxfield is starting to show the Thoroughbred racing world what it missed out on last year.
An undefeated superstar on the road to the 2020 Kentucky Derby as a 3-year-old, Maxfield suffered a leg fracture that sidelined him for the entire Triple Crown season.
On Saturday, the 4-year-old son of 2007 Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense dazzled the crowd at Churchill Downs with a sizzling turn of foot that led to a 3 ¼-length victory in the 40th running of the $600,000, Grade 2 Stephen Foster Stakes.
Maxfield’s victory for trainer Brendan Walsh and owner Godolphin Racing, capped the closing day of the 38-day Spring Meet at the Louisville racetrack.
“It was a really good performance,” 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.”
Jockey Jose Ortiz cruised Maxfield along steadily in fifth or sixth place in the field of nine for the majority of the 1 1/8-mile Stephen Foster. Just before the turn for home, Ortiz asked for more and Maxfield delivered, picking off horses ahead of him one by one in a sweeping move around the outside.
Maxfield roared from sixth to first in a matter of seconds, rolling past Warrior’s Charge, Necker Island, Visitant, Empty Tomb and Sprawl. By the top of the stretch, Maxfield was in command, separating from his competition under a hand ride from Ortiz. Warrior’s Charge rallied late for second place and Sprawl held on for third.
The remaining order of finish was South Bend, Chess Chief, Empty Tomb, Necker Island, Visitant and Silver Dust.
“I just sort of had to stay out of his way,” Ortiz said. “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.”
The victory was Maxfield’s seventh in eight starts and Saturday’s $357,120 first-place prize pushed his career earnings to $1,265,902. The win guaranteed Maxfield a spot in this fall’s Breeders’ Cup Classic at Del Mar.
Maxfield, who left the gate as the 2-5 favorite, returned $2.80, $2.20 and $2.10.
Afterward, Godolphin President Jimmy Bell called the Grade 1 Whitney Stakes at Saratoga on Aug. 7 the “primary target” for Maxfield’s next race.
The Stephen Foster was the featured event on a 12-race card at Churchill Downs that included three other graded stakes. Here’s a look at how the rest of the day played out.
Fleur de Lis Stakes
Letruska seems to be getting better with age. The 5-year-old daughter of Super Saver led almost the entire way in winning the $300,000, Grade 2 race by a commanding 5 ¾ lengths for her 15th victory in 20 career starts.
Letruska, ridden by Jose Ortiz on Saturday, has now won five of her past six races, including Grade 1 victories in the Ogden Phipps at Belmont and the Apple Blossom at Oaklawn this year prior to Saturday.
“She’s a spectacular horse,” trainer Fausto Gutierrez said. “I don’t really like to say what’s next but she was great today. We know she’s a really nice dirt horse and is supposed to win at different racetracks and different conditions for a possible Horse of the Year campaign.”
The Fleur de Lis win, at 1 1/8 miles, was Letruska’s sixth graded stakes win and pushed her career earnings to $1,616,459. Letruska, poised to be one of the top contenders in this fall’s Breeders’ Cup Distaff at Del Mar, paid $3.40, $2.80 and $2.10 as the 3-5 favorite Saturday. Antoinette finished second, three-fourths of a length in front of Envoutante.
Wise Dan Stakes
Set Piece weaved through traffic in deep stretch to track down pace-setting Somelikeithotbrown to win the $300,000, Grade 2 race.
Trained by Brad Cox and ridden by Florent Geroux, Set Piece completed the 1 1/16 miles over the firm turf course in 1:40.50, just .24 seconds off the stakes record set by Kasaqui in 2017.
The 5-year-old gelding Set Piece, who was bred in Great Britain by Juddmonte, has won nine of his 16 career starts, including four on the turf at Churchill.
Somelikeithotbrown finished second with Ride a Comet third.
Bashford Manor Stakes
Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez rode Double Thunder to a last-place-to-first-place win for Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher in the $150,000, Grade 3 Bashford Manor for 2-year-olds.
“Once I got to the quarter-pole I had a lot of confidence in him and thought we had a big shot,” Velazquez said. “He did everything professionally today.”
The son of 2010 Kentucky Derby winner Super Saver returned $10.20, $6 and $3.80 as the 4-1 fourth betting choice in the field of 10. Vodka N Water finished second and Glacial was third.
Red Run, the 5-2 favorite, wound up fifth.