Irish Maxima wires Distaff for first graded stakes triumph
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Irish Maxima, a 4-year-old filly, was never challenged in her first graded stakes victory at Aqueduct on Saturday, as she led all the way in a shortened field of five to win the Grade 3 Distaff Stakes by 1 1/4 lengths.
Trainer John Servis knew Irish Maxima, coming off two commanding stakes victories at Parx Racing and Laurel Park, was ready to take the next step.
“We put her away early in her 3-year-old year, freshened her up, and she came back mentally stronger, bigger, happier,” Servis said. “She hasn’t done anything wrong.”
Entering the Distaff, Servis’ biggest concern for the 4-5 favorite was the inside post, which left her vulnerable to outside pressure if she couldn’t get to the front. There was a moment after a pedestrian start when she could have run into trouble, but she rushed up to take command and never relinquished it.
Jockey Frankie Pennington, who has been traveling the East Coast with her for seven straight races, didn’t need to do much through a half-mile in 45.80 seconds. He let her loose in the stretch and she had plenty left at the end. She completed the seven furlongs in 1:22.92 (92 Beyer Speed Figure), and returned $3.60.
“She was in the one hole, she usually breaks quick, but it was just one of those things that happened, she happened to get off slow, but it still worked out in our favor,” Pennington said.
The filly’s ownership group, Irish Three Racing LLC, showed up in force in the winner’s circle and engulfed Pennington in a jubilant celebration after the race.
Servis was reasonably ambitious to enter Irish Maxima in a graded stakes race after five victories in her last six starts. After her commanding win on Saturday, however, the trainer’s ambitions are only growing. The Grade 3 Vagrancy at Aqueduct on May 4 is the logical next step, but Servis couldn’t help but think bigger while standing in the winner’s circle. He said that the Grade 1 Derby City Distaff on the Kentucky Derby card might be worth a swing.
“We’ll see how she comes out of this,” Servis said. “We might come back here, or I might take a big shot with her and go to Kentucky on Derby Day in that million-dollar race.”
St. Benedicts Prep, a 5-year-old mare trained by Linda Rice, was running hard in the stretch to make up ground, but had to settle for her fifth straight stakes finish in the money behind the winner. She finished one length ahead of 5-year-old mare Socially Selective, trained by Bill Mott. Two mares, Royal Spa and All Class, were scratched, which gave Irish Maxima an even greater advantage on the front end in a shorter field.
During the stretch run, 5-year-old mare Ocean Gateway was eased and required medical attention after the race. She reportedly bled during the race and was transported off the track in an ambulance.
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