Daily Racing Form National Digital Edition
Blue Grass Stakes becomes the target for Maxfield
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Trainer Brendan Walsh said Monday that Maxfield will skip the Belmont Stakes to wait instead for the Blue Grass Stakes on July 11 at Keeneland, the colt’s home base.
Maxfield, a Godolphin homebred undefeated in three starts, figured no worse than second choice behind Tiz the Law in the June 20 Belmont and is widely considered one of the three favorites for the Sept. 5 Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs, along with Tiz the Law and Honor A. P. His defection figures to leave Tiz the Law a heavy Belmont favorite.
“We think this is the right thing to do,” Walsh said. “I talked it over at length with the Godolphin team. The main aim for them – as it has been for a long time – is to win the Kentucky Derby. We feel this is the best way to get there.”
Maxfield, by Street Sense, won the May 23 Matt Winn at Churchill following a layoff of more than seven months. He has 60 qualifying points toward the Derby, which should be enough to make the 20-horse cutoff already.
Owing to the coronavirus pandemic, the 146th Derby was rescheduled from its original May 2 date, after which the Belmont was rescheduled by the New York Racing Association from its original June 6 date and shortened to a oneturn race at 1 1/8 miles. The Preakness is set for Oct. 3.
“With the way the whole schedule has been reconfigured this year, we wanted to take an approach to give him his best chance to peak Derby time,” Walsh said. “He’s still a horse who’s learning and maturing. By running in the Blue Grass, we’ll get to keep him around two turns, and he’ll get to run out of his own stall at Keeneland, where he trains every day. It’s a good progression from his excellent first run and gives him the right amount of time between races.”
Walsh said another Derby prep race is possible following the Blue Grass. “He could maybe run in between, but we’ll take every race as it comes,” he said.
Walsh said Maxfield will breeze at Keeneland for the first time since the Winn “in the next few days, depending on weather.”
“He’s been doing great since he ran, just super,” Walsh said.
Meanwhile, a terrific Churchill spring meet for Walsh hit another high note Sunday when the first-time starter Trident Hit was up by a nostril in the eighth race, returning $84.80.
“I thought we were a stride too late,” said Walsh whose eight wins have him second in the local trainer standings, behind only Brad Cox (11).
Asmussen makes win count
It’s very difficult to feel bad for Steve Asmussen, even after the Hall of Fame trainer went 1 for 14 last week to remain one victory shy of 737 Churchill wins, a number that will tie him with Dale Romans as the all-time leading trainer in track history.
“It’s been a little bit frustrating not getting there yet,” Asmussen said.
Still, the one winner for Asmussen last week was a doozy: Volatile, a 4-year-old colt making his stakes debut, earned a 112 Beyer Speed Figure in winning the six-furlong Aristides on Saturday, the highest Beyer of 2020. The winning time of 1:07.57 was just .02 of a second off the track mark, set in 2007 by Indian Chant.
Asmussen trained Lady Tak, the second dam of Volatile.
“He’s special to us because of his family,” said Asmussen, who trained the champion sprinter of 2019, Mitole.
Lady Tak won major events such as the Grade 1 Test at Saratoga, and in 2004 became the first millionaire trained by Asmussen.
“He has her freak-like ability,” Asmussen said. “We’re hoping that he shows the same affinity for Saratoga’s course like she did. We are definitely expecting to step him up into graded stakes company from here.”
Meanwhile, owner Jeff Bloom has confirmed that the Asmussen-trained Midnight Bisou will make her next start in the Grade 2 Fleur de Lis on June 27, closing day of the spring meet. Midnight Bisou, the No. 1-rated horse in the weekly National Thoroughbred Racing Association poll since early March, will be making her first start since finishing second in the $20 million Saudi Cup on Feb. 29.
Gaffalione appeals suspension
Tyler Gaffalione, the leading jockey at the spring meet through 15 of 26 cards, said he will continue riding by filing an appeal of a three-day suspension (June 13, 14, 18) handed him by the Churchill stewards. The penalty stems from Gaffalione’s mount, Teenage Kicks, being disqualified from first to third in the sixth race Friday.
Gaffalione enters this week with a 15-12 lead over Corey Lanerie. Gaffalione’s lone Churchill title came at the 2018 fall meet.
Also, Brian Hernandez Jr. is appealing a three-day suspension stemming from his ride aboard Nashvegas, who caused interference before fading to 10th in the seventh race May 31.
◗ Jim and Susan Hill have retired Silver Ride to their Margaux Farm after claiming the 8-year-old for $16,000 from a victory last Thursday at Churchill. Silver Ride started 22 times for the Hills before being claimed from them last June for $62,500.
◗ The highlight of the coming week at Churchill is the Grade 3, $100,000 Louisville. Arklow is foremost among the older horses likely for the 1 1/2-mile turf race.