Maxfield

Could happen, you know. Within the random weavings of the Thoroughbred, after all, it's always tempting to discern some pattern suggestive of a coherent, governing narrative. And if Silver State (Hard Spun) were to win the GI Whitney S., and in the process happened to become the 9,446th winner saddled by his trainer, it might well feel as though 35 years of skill and endeavor, processed daily through random fluctuations of good or bad luck, have all led logically and inexorably to this pinnacle. The trouble is that whoever came...

For a race that offers just a five-horse field, Saturday's GI Whitney S. at Saratoga will nevertheless feature plenty of intrigue, as two of the handicap division's top stars will meet the one-two finishers from the GI Metropolitan H. and a certain champion filly whose trainer called an audible to enter her in the meet centerpiece for older horses, a "Win and You're In" qualifier for the GI Longines Breeders' Cup Classic. Given the morning-line at 6-5 is the Korea Racing Authority's enigmatic star speedball Knicks Go (Paynter). A shocking...

A compact, but talented field of five will face the starter for Saturday's GI Whitney S., a 'Win and You're In' qualifier for the GI Breeders' Cup Classic at Del Mar Nov. 6. Korean Racing Authority's Knicks Go (Paynter) has been pegged as the 6-5 morning-line favorite for trainer Brad Cox and jockey Joel Rosario. The 5-year-old is perfect in his last five starts around two turns, including a latest blow-out, big-figure success in the GIII Cornhusker H. at Prairie Meadows July 2. Cox attributes his losses in the Saudi...

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...

Godolphin's once-beaten Maxfield (Street Sense), the impressive 3 1/4-length winner of Churchill's GII Stephen Foster S. when last seen June 26, tuned up for his next appearance in the Aug. 7 GI Whitney S. with a half-mile breeze over the Oklahoma training track Friday morning that was timed in :49.09 (14/46). Working in the company of stablemate Longpants Required (New Year's Day), the son of Velvety (Bernardini) covered his first two furlongs in :25.3 and was out five-eighths of a mile in 1:01.1 according to NYRA clockers. "I just wanted...

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...

The talented Maxfield (Street Sense) headlines a field of nine slated for Saturday's GII Stephen Foster S. at Churchill Downs, a 'Win and You're In' for the GI Breeders' Cup Classic. After suffering his first career defeat finishing third in the GI Santa Anita H. Mar. 6, the Godolphin homebred got back on track with a strong performance in Churchill's GII Alysheba S. on the GI Kentucky Oaks undercard. It was 3 1/4 lengths back to Twinspires Kentucky Cup Classic S. winner Visitant (Ghostzapper) in second that day and another...

Ours is the most nostalgic of sports, sustained by trusted cycles. And if the calendar pauses somewhat, between the end of the Triple Crown and the renewal of beloved summer rituals at Saratoga and Del Mar, that won't preclude an evocative resonance in some of the things we can enjoy Saturday. True, the idea that Letruska (Super Saver) is any kind of throwback, just because she is managing a second start in three weeks, is a measure of how effete the modern Thoroughbred has become. I've drawn attention previously to...

DARRS Inc.'s Extravagant Kid (Kiss the Kid), winner of the G1 Al Quoz Sprint  Mar. 27, turned in his third work at Keeneland Saturday since his Dubai performance, covering five furlongs in 1:02.20 in company with stakes-placed winner Lontano (Street Boss) over a fast dirt track. Keeneland clockers caught him in fractions of :11.80, :24, ;36, :49.60 and 1:02.20. "He worked great. He's doing good," said trainer Brendan Walsh. "Looks like he came out of the race in Dubai good and got back in good shape." The 8-year-old is being...

Godolphin homebred Maxfield (Street Sense), last seen romping in the GII Alysheba S. at Churchill Apr. 30, remains on track for that venue's GII Stephen Foster S. June 26. "We brought him over to Keeneland after [GI Kentucky] Derby week at Churchill and we are targeting the Stephen Foster," trainer Brendan Walsh said. "He'll make his way back to Churchill and we'll likely work him Saturday. I think the timing of this race works out well for us because it's the same timing following his race in the [Mar. 6...

Maxfield bounced back from his first-ever defeat to kick off Derby weekend's graded stakes action as a heavy favorite in Friday's GII Alysheba S. A head-turning winner of the GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity as a juvenile, the Godolphin homebred was forced to miss the Breeders' Cup, but resurfaced a winner in the track-and-trip GIII Matt Winn S. last May and looked perfectly poised to take advantage of the pushed-back Triple Crown schedule last term. He was soon diagnosed with a condylar fracture, however, and eventually resurfaced to take the Dec....

Godolphin homebred Maxfield (Street Sense) will look to bounce back from his first-ever defeat as the Churchill Downs graded action kicks off Friday with the GII Alysheba S. The 2019 GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity hero was forced to miss that year's Breeders' Cup due to injury, and resurfaced a good-looking winner of the track-and-trip GIII Matt Winn S. some 11 months ago, only to be knocked off an elongated Triple Crown trail with a condylar fracture. He defeated Sonneman (Curlin) handily in both the Dec. 19 Tenacious S. and Feb....