Daily Racing Form National Digital Edition
Maxfield has final workout; can go out a winner in Clark
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Maxfield was sent through the final timed workout of his outstanding career when prepping early Friday for the Grade 1 Clark with a five-furlong breeze in 1:01.20 over a fast track at Churchill Downs.
Maxfield, a Grade 1 winner of more than $1.55 million in 10 career starts, will face the standout 3-year-old Midnight Bourbon and a handful of older horses Friday (Nov. 26) in the $750,000 Clark, the annual fall highlight at Churchill. Friday entries will be drawn Sunday.
Trainer Brendan Walsh said all the heavy lifting is now complete toward having Maxfield ready for the 147th Clark, the apex of a busy closing week to the 21-day fall meet at Churchill. The 1 1/8-mile Clark will be the last race for Maxfield before he goes to stud next year at Darley.
“Maxfield just cruises over this racetrack,” said Walsh, alluding in part to the Street Sense colt’s 4-for-4 record at Churchill. “He’s doing everything great leading into this race, we’ll be ready to go come Friday.”
Jose Ortiz will be in from New York when stopping over at Churchill to ride Maxfield in the Clark before moving on to Del Mar for the balance of the Thanksgiving weekend. Ortiz has been the regular rider for Maxfield, a 4-year-old Godolphin homebred, for most of the colt’s career, including in all four Churchill wins.
Midnight Bourbon, the Steve Asmussen-trained standout, will be ridden for the first time by Joel Rosario, who is gunning for records in stakes wins and mount earnings in a single year. Rosario replaces Ricardo Santana Jr., who has ridden the Tiznow colt in his last two starts but has fallen out of favor with Asmussen in recent weeks.
The Clark is one of six stakes set for a busy final weekend. The Grade 2, $500,000 Falls City, the traditional Thanksgiving Day feature, will be the first of those Thursday. Bonny South, Envoutante, and Crystal Ball are among the fillies and mares expected, with Rosario riding Army Wife. Special first post Thursday is 11:30 a.m. Eastern.
The Kentucky Jockey Club and Golden Rod, Grade 2 twins, will anchor a Saturday program exclusively for 2-year-olds. Two sprint stakes, the Fern Creek and Lively Shively, also will be run for the first time. Rosario has the mount in the KJC on likely favorite Classic Causeway, third as the favorite last month in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Futurity at Keeneland.
The Fern Creek and Lively Shively effectively replace longstanding turf fixtures such as the Mrs. Revere, Cardinal, and River City, at least for this year. Those races are on hiatus because the turf course has been unavailable due to a renovation that began in late June and is scheduled to be complete by the 2022 spring meet.
Next Sunday (Nov. 28) is closing day, with Turfway in northern Kentucky starting up four months of winter action on Dec. 2.
Trio of co-features
Three consecutive allowances anchor a nine-race Sunday card at Churchill Downs that might well be run over a sloppy main track, given an 80 percent chance of rain in the local forecast.
Race 6 is a $141,000 thirdlevel route in which Major Fed will be looking to rebound off a far-back finish in the Oct. 30 Fayette Stakes. The 4-year-old Ghostzapper colt will be ridden by Tyler Gaffalione and has Beau Luminarie and the New York shipper You’re to Blame as his main rivals in a field of seven older horses.
Race 7 is a $127,000 first-level sprint that drew a pair of interesting returnees in Midnight Ballerina and Color of Dawn in a field of eight fillies and mares. Both will be making their 3-year-old debuts following lengthy layoffs.
Race 8 is a $134,000 secondlevel sprint that will have Beverly Park looking to stay unbeaten in nine starts in 2021, an uncanny development that is bringing attention to his ownertrainer, Norman “Lynn” Cash. Beverly Park was claimed by Cash for $12,500 in August, and the 4-year-old Munnings colt is now 8 for 8 this year after winning a first-level allowance here Nov. 11.
“It’s been an absolute thrill,” said Cash.
Cash, who only began training in April, has been very active in recent months at both the claiming and entry box. Cash said his growing stable will be split this winter between Oaklawn Park and Turfway Park.
Purses for all non-claiming/ starter races at Kentucky tracks include substantial bonuses restricted to registered Kentucky-breds.
First post is 1 p.m. After Sunday, Churchill goes dark for two days before the final fiveday stretch begins Wednesday.
◗ Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas submitted his first claim at Churchill since 2005 when he won a sevenway shake last Sunday for Miacomet, winner of a $50,000 maiden-claiming race. Lukas, 86, haltered the 3-year-old Flatter colt on behalf of owner Dennis W. Gray Jr.
◗ The first of five pools in the 2022 Kentucky Derby Future Wager will be open Thursday through Sunday next week, along with the annual Derby Sires Wager. The 23-name rosters for both parimutuel wagers are scheduled for release Monday.