Maxfield Breezes at Keeneland in Preparation for Return

Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) hopeful Maxfield breezed five furlongs at Keeneland April 25 in 1:00 2/5 toward a planned comeback race in the middle or late part of May. The workout came in company with older allowance horse Seek the Peak, co-ranking as the fifth fastest of 26 breezes at the distance.

Perfect in two starts last year at 2, Maxfield is unraced since romping in the Oct. 5 Claiborne Breeders' Futurity (G1) at Keeneland.  Aimed afterward for the Nov. 1 TVG Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) at Santa Anita Park, he was scratched by trainer Brendan Walsh after showing signs of discomfort leading up to the race. The 3-year-old Street Sense  colt, owned and bred by Godolphin, had a bone chip removed from his right front ankle later in November, and has been breezing this winter and spring toward his return, first at Palm Meadows Training Center in Florida and this month at Keeneland.

"He worked good. Everything's ticking along nicely with him," Walsh said. "It's just a question of where we go now. I'm hoping there will be something for him at Churchill—if Churchill opens up. So many ifs, ands, or buts and everything. "

Spring racing at Churchill Downs, like at many tracks, is on hold due to COVID-19 health precautions. Churchill officials tried to open its stable area April 28, with the hope of spectatorless racing sometime in May, but announced April 23 that they must delay the stable opening until at least May 5.

There has been no racing in Kentucky since late March at Turfway Park after Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear issued executive orders to slow the spread of COVID-19 that closed many nonessential businesses. Keeneland, which had been scheduled to race this month, canceled their entire spring meet. Training has continued at both racetracks.

In March, Churchill Downs postponed the Derby until Sept. 5 and the Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1) until Sept. 4. Officials said at the time they intended to shift their traditional Derby-week stakes to the first week of September, but the track's full stakes schedule has not been announced.

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Churchill had planned to run the Matt Winn Stakes (G3) for 3-year-olds at 1 1/16 miles May 30. That race could fit into Maxfield's plans if racing resumes in Kentucky and the stake is run as scheduled, or perhaps an allowance race at Churchill, Walsh said.

Late spring or summer stakes races such as the Matt Winn could also become point-earning qualifiers on a lengthened, to-be-announced Road to the Kentucky Derby series amended due to the Derby being rescheduled later in the year.