Maxfield to Get Rest of Year Off Ahead of 2020 Campaign

Godolphin's highly-regarded colt Maxfield, who was scratched from the Nov. 1 TVG Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1), will get a freshening for the remainder of 2019 and target a 2020 campaign, according to his trainer Brendan Walsh.

The impressive 5 1/2-length winner of the Claiborne Breeders' Futurity (G1) at Keeneland was scratched from the Juvenile because of a minor foot bruise. Veterinarians at Santa Anita Park later scratched Walsh's Vitalogy from the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf presented by Coolmore America (G1T).

"If he even had a hair turn we were going to scratch him," Walsh said of Maxfield. "He just wasn't right so obviously we weren't going to take any chances. Our goal with him has always been a 3-year-old campaign. I was surprised he broke his maiden like he did first out. I thought he would be the type of horse that would take some time to break his maiden.

"He'll get a break at the farm for a little while and I'll bring him back next year. I haven't completely mapped out a campaign next year for the Derby. This horse can really be anything. He's extremely special."

Walsh reported Maxfield will likely return to his Florida base this winter.

Video: Claiborne Breeders' Futurity (G1)

A homebred son of Street Sense  out of the Bernardini  mare Velvety, Maxfield made his first start Sept. 14 at Churchill Downs. He rallied from 10th under Jose Ortiz to get up by three-quarters of a length going a mile. He showed that same strong rally, again under Ortiz, in the Oct. 5 Breeders' Futurity at 1 1/16 miles.

Maxfield will likely be an individual interest in the first pool of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager scheduled for Nov. 28-Dec. 1. The four-day pool, which will run concurrently with the Kentucky Derby Sire Future Wager, will feature 23 individual interests and an "all others" interest for any other 2-year-old horse not listed. The field for the first future wager pools will be announced the week of Nov. 25.