Maxfield puts in sharp drill for Breeders' Cup Juvenile

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Maxfield has his game face on.

The Grade 1 Breeders' Futurity winner, who is expected to be among the favorites for next week's Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Santa Anita, turned in his final major work toward that race with a strong half-mile in 47.80 seconds on Friday morning at Keeneland.

"And he looks like he was just out galloping," trainer Brendan Walsh said after Godolphin's homebred colt returned to the barn.

Maxfield and rider Paul Madden broke off behind workmate Corkman, another 2-year-old colt who was fourth on debut Oct. 12 at Keeneland, through an opening quarter in 24.80. Maxfield was rolling alongside his workmate into the stretch and, displaying the same devastating turn of foot he showed to close and win going away in the Futurity, had inhaled him by midstretch through three furlongs in 36.40. The colt continued to extend his advantage to the wire and on the gallop-out.

Not only was Maxfield's four-furlong time the eighth-best of 73 at the distance on Keeneland's main track Friday morning, he was caught galloping out five furlongs in 59 seconds flat – which would have bested the fastest official work at that distance by a full second.

"That was great," Walsh said. "He picked up really well, which is what we wanted. We wanted him to finish up the last quarter nice and sharp. He’s fit and he’s ready to go. Everything’s gone according to plan so far. Hopefully, we get out there in good shape and we have a good week."

Maxfield is scheduled to fly to California on Saturday morning along with Walsh’s Juvenile Turf pre-entry Vitalogy. That colt worked a half-mile in 51.20 on the turf later in the morning. With heavy rain expected in the Lexington area Saturday, Keeneland opened its turf course Friday morning for local Breeders' Cup horses wishing to beat the weather. The only other horse to take advantage was Turf Sprint candidate Leinster, who worked a half-mile in 50.80 while kept out almost to the outside rail of the course.

Earlier, Leinster’s Rusty Arnold-trained stablemate Totally Boss, who is among the favorites for the Turf Sprint, had worked a half-mile in 49.40 on the dirt.

“He’s a better work horse on the dirt," Arnold said.

Also working on the Keeneland main track was Grade 1 winner and Juvenile Fillies Turf candidate Abscond, who breezed a half-mile in 48.80.

Down the highway at Churchill Downs, a bevy of Breeders’ Cup workers were led by Kentucky Oaks winner Serengeti Empress and Grade 1 winner Covfefe, either of whom could secure the Eclipse Award as outstanding 3-year-old filly with a victory in her respective Breeders’ Cup race. Both heated up the stopwatches on a chilly fall morning.

Covfefe, who worked as the track opened for trainer Brad Cox, zipped through five furlongs in 59.40 in her final work for the Filly and Mare Sprint. The work was the bullet of 55 at the distance.

Serengeti Empress, who is bound for the Breeders’ Cup Distaff, worked a half-mile in 47.60 for trainer Tom Amoss, the fourth best of 103 works at the distance on a crowded work tab.

The Grade 1-winning filly Got Stormy, who will be among the favorites for the Breeders' Cup Mile, worked a half-mile on the main track in 47.40. Other Breeders' Cup candidates working Friday morning at Churchill were Andesite (Juvenile Turf), who went five furlongs in 1:00.60, British Idiom (Juvenile Fillies) in 48.40, Peace Achieved (Juvenile Turf) in 50.20, Scabbard (Juvenile) in 49.80, and Whitmore (Sprint) in 49.40.