Derby Hopefuls Maxfield, Major Fed Breeze for Matt Winn

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Derby Hopefuls Maxfield, Major Fed Breeze for Matt Winn
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Photo: Anne M. Eberhardt
Maxfield at Keeneland

Two of the anticipated favorites for the May 23, $150,000 Matt Winn Stakes (G3) at Churchill Downs, Maxfield and Major Fed, tuned up for the 1 1/16-mile qualifier on the Road to the Kentucky Derby with breezes in Kentucky May 16.

Maxfield, who won a maiden race at Churchill and the Claiborne Breeders' Futurity (G1) at Keeneland as a juvenile last year, breezed a half-mile on a fast track at Keeneland in :47 1/5. The Brendan Walsh-trained son of Street Sense , owned and bred by Godolphin, will be making his first start of the year after recovering from ankle surgery. His rider last year, Jose Ortiz, will be back aboard, Walsh said.

Major Fed, who went a half-mile in :51 2/5 on a sloppy track at Churchill, has done most of his racing in 2020. After a third in his debut at Churchill Downs Nov. 23 on an off track, he won a maiden event Jan. 1 at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots before a second there in the second division of the Feb. 15 Risen Star Stakes Presented by Lamarque Ford (G2) and a fourth in the March 21 Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby (G2). The 3-year-son of Ghostzapper  is owned by Lloyd Madison Farms.

“It gives us a lot of excitement to have a horse like him in our barn,” trainer Greg Foley said. “He’s fit, so this morning’s work was just a little maintenance. He’s getting better every day, and that’s what makes us so excited about him and his future.”

For the first time, the Matt Winn provides qualifying points toward the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1), owing to that race being postponed to Sept. 5. This week, Churchill Downs officials raised the points scale to 50-20-10-5 for the race's top four finishers, making it a second-tier prep. It was initially announced as offering points on a bottom-level 10-4-2-1 basis.

According to a release from Churchill Downs publicity May 16, other horses besides Maxfield and Major Fed considered probable to run in the Matt Winn include (with trainers): Crypto Cash (Kenny McPeek), Max Player (Linda Rice), Necker Island (Stanley Hough), Pneumatic (Steve Asmussen); and Shake Some Action (Brad Cox).

The Matt Winn is one of five stakes at Churchill Downs May 23. The others are ungraded $100,000 events, though many are expected to draw graded stakes winners. Per Churchill, other probable stakes starters include: