Maxfield will run in Woodward prior to Breeders' Cup Classic
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Multiple graded stakes winner Maxfield, most recently second to Knicks Go in the Grade 1 Whitney here Aug. 7, will make his next start in the Grade 1, $500,000 Woodward Stakes on Oct. 2 at Belmont Park, his trainer Brendan Walsh said Friday.
The Woodward, which this year was moved back to Belmont Park after having been run at Saratoga since 2006, is a one-turn, 1 1/8-mile race. Walsh believes it will be a useful prep for the $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic on Nov. 6 at Del Mar.
“He’s in New York already, the timing’s good to go to the Classic, it just fits us nice,” Walsh said Friday at Saratoga.
One of the other choices for Maxfield was the Grade 3, $400,000 Lukas Classic on Oct. 2 at Churchill Downs, but that is the next spot for Knicks Go, who defeated Maxfield by 4 1/2 lengths in the Whitney.
The Woodward is expected to draw, among others, Art Collector, winner of the Charles Town Classic, and Code of Honor, the 2019 Travers winner who most recently won the Grade 3 Philip Iselin at Monmouth Park. The Woodward – as well as the Kelso on Sept. 25 – has been mentioned as a possible next spot for Life Is Good, the very talented 3-year-old who was most recently second to Jackie’s Warrior in the H. Allen Jerkens.
On Friday, Maxfield returned to the work tab for the second time since the Whitney, breezing a half-mile in 48.10 seconds over the Oklahoma training track, working inside of the 3-year-old Critical Threat. Maxfield went in quarter splits of 24.03 and 24.07 and galloped out five furlongs in 1:01.45.
“I thought it was really nice,” Walsh said of the work. “He showed plenty of speed, he looked like he did it well, and the best thing about it is when he got back to the barn he couldn’t have blown out a candle.”
Walsh said Maxfield would remain in Saratoga for the time being. He could ship to Belmont in time to get a workout over the track.
Meanwhile, Knicks Go had his second work since the Whitney, working a half-mile in 49.00 seconds over the Oklahoma training track Friday morning. Cox said Knicks Go – along with Travers winner Essential Quality – is scheduled to leave Saratoga by van on Tuesday afternoon and arrive at Churchill Downs on Wednesday morning when the barn area reopens after it closed for the summer while renovations of the turf course took place.