Maxfield fits the bill for Godolphin
Walsh will be hoping his ward can claim the elusive Kentucky Derby prize
Could Maxfield be the horse that Godolphin have been waiting for over 25 years? Will he be the one to win the one race Godolphin have coveted more than anyone else in the world — The Kentucky Derby (Group 1)?
I would like to say yes. Winning races like the Kentucky Derby are usually the stuff of dreams — unbelievable anecdotes, tales of the unexpected from some Roald Dahl story.
It is no exaggeration to say that the American showpiece, first held in 1875 at Churchill Downs racetrack in Louisville and which is the longest-running sports event in the United States, is one of the most difficult races of its kind.
It is significantly different to other races, even to the great Epsom Derby. And not just because that it is run on a different surface (dirt) compared to other famous turf races.
The Kentucky Derby represents the biggest challenge for breeder, trainer, jockey and owner. With the three-yearolds still maturing, both physically and mentally, it calls for a well thought-out plan to ensure that you get your horse to Churchill Downs 100 per cent fit and at the very top of his game. If you don’t, you would have compromised the circumstances in which the testing 2,000-metre contest is run.
The luck factor
There are all sorts of factors that weigh in favour, or out, for a Derby contender — the pedigree, ability, maturity and learning process. So does Maxfield tick all these boxes?
At this point of time, I’m not sure, and don’t intend to jump to too many false conclusions. But yes, he is certainly a horse that has the profile, and backing, to give His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and his Godolphin stable a first-ever success in the ‘Run for the Roses’. And you need luck — plenty of luck. It is here that Maxfield has earned his first points, which is perhaps an ominous sign for the future.
The postponement of the race from the first week of May to September 5 is a big bonus for Brendan Walsh’s trainee, who has fortunately had more time to recovery from surgery that prematurely ended his two-year-old season last year.
The Darley-bred colt’s performance in the Matt Winn Stakes (G3) on Saturday proved beyond doubt that he has made a full recovery and trained on into a fine equine athlete worthy of a shot at the Kentucky Derby.