Maxisuperfly goes wire to wire in Cincinnati Trophy

Maxisuperfly led all the way to spring a 23-1 upset in the $150,000 Cincinnati Trophy on Friday night at Turfway Park, making her way onto the Florence, Ky., track’s road to the Kentucky Oaks.

The Cincinnati Trophy awarded its top five finishers points toward the May 3 Oaks on a 20-10-6-4-2 scale. The race was the local prep toward the $300,000 Bourbonette Oaks on March 23 at Turfway, which awards points on a 50-25-15-10-5 basis.

Maxisuperfly, with Walter Rodriguez in the irons for trainer Eric Foster, was away alertly from post 3 in the field of 10 and quickly assumed command, with a one-length lead through the opening quarter in a moderate 24.03 seconds, with Falabella attempting to press from the outside. Maxisuperfly easily kept command while continuing on kindly through a half in 47.11 and a well-rationed six furlongs in 1:11.57. She kicked clear by 2 1/2 lengths in upper stretch and paid $48.36.

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Barbratina, who had been sixth after the opening half, mounted a late rally. She was eating into the margin, but Maxisuperfly easily held sway, even with Rodriguez standing in his irons and beginning to celebrate the richest stakes win of his career before the wire. Maxisuperfly hit the finish 1 1/2 lengths in front, finishing the mile in 1:37.31.

Barbratina was a clear second by 4 1/2 lengths over favored Living Magic, who kept on evenly to hold off Everland by a head for third. The favorite was making her first start since winning the Chelsey Flower in October on the Aqueduct turf.

Maxisuperfly, who was last of 12 after being bumped at the start in her sprint debut on the Keeneland dirt, has blossomed going two turns on the Tapeta at Turfway. After finishing second in a maiden race in December, she won for the first time on Jan. 18, and then finished third behind Everland in a starter allowance on Feb. 10. All her starts in Florence have been at a mile.

While Maxisuperfly and three of the other fillies who finished in points positions Friday night are currently Oaks nominees, runner-up Barbratina – who, like the winner, was making her stakes debut – is not. She can still be nominated to the Oaks with a $1,500 late payment by April 10, or can be supplemented into the field for $15,000 when final entries are taken.

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