Maxfield's connections debate Belmont Stakes, Blue Grass Stakes

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The pressing question will linger for the next few days, if not longer. Will Maxfield run next in the Belmont Stakes or forgo a Triple Crown chance by waiting for something like the Blue Grass Stakes?

This newest dilemma for Godolphin and trainer Brendan Walsh has surfaced in the aftermath of Maxfield winning the Matt Winn on Saturday at Churchill Downs. The Street Sense colt stayed unbeaten in three starts with a strong stretch run, earning a 95 Beyer Speed Figure and furthering his stature amid the elite of the 3-year-old class.

“We’ll talk it over with the Godolphin team and plan for our next target, whatever that may be,” Walsh told Churchill publicity. “I have just been thinking all along to go one race at a time.”

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Maxfield, with Jose Ortiz back aboard, was making his first start since undergoing minor ankle surgery last November. His most recent race had resulted in a 5 1/2-length victory in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Futurity at Keeneland in October.

“The most impressive thing about this horse is how he handles everything so well mentally,” Walsh said. “He’s such a cool horse and nothing really bothers him. Along with his athletic ability, his mental state is a really strong one-two punch.”

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The Belmont Stakes will be run June 20, and the Blue Grass is expected to be run July 11 at Keeneland. Walsh has said it’s logical that Maxfield would race twice more prior to the 146th Kentucky Derby, which has been rescheduled to Sept. 5 amid all the coronavirus reshuffling. The colt earned 50 Derby qualifying points with his Winn triumph and now has a total of 60, which seems sufficient already to make the 20-horse Derby cutoff.

Meanwhile, Ny Traffic and Pneumatic both ran well in the 1 1/16-mile Winn as the respective second- and third-place finishers. Ny Traffic also earned a 95 Beyer when second by a length, while Pneumatic got a 94 Beyer when finishing another three-quarters of a length back in his first defeat.

Trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. said Monday from Florida that Ny Traffic was on his way back to Gulfstream Park and that the Belmont “hasn’t been totally ruled out,” although the Blue Grass or the July 18 Haskell at Monmouth Park are probably better, timing-wise, he said. The speedy gray colt earned 20 more points Saturday and now has 70.

“Those were important points that put us in a solid position,” Joseph said.

Easily the disappointment of the race was Major Fed, who was in contention at the quarter pole before stopping badly to finish 10th and last, 15 3/4 lengths behind Maxfield. Trainer Greg Foley said the colt cooled out fine and likely will get another chance on the Derby trail.