Gouverneur Morris to Blue Grass After Maxfield Injury

The July 11 Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (G2) at Keeneland lost a top 3-year-old and added another in just a matter of hours June 10.

As news of a condylar fracture injury to Maxfield spread Wednesday morning, a setback that will cause that colt to miss the Blue Grass and the Sept. 5 Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1), the connections of Gouverneur Morris made the decision to bypass the June 20 Belmont Stakes (G1) in favor of the Blue Grass. Maxfield was the expected headliner for the $600,000, 1 1/8-mile race in Lexington, the centerpiece of a five-day meet Keeneland will stage this summer.

Gouverneur Morris, a 3-year-old son of Constitution  owned by Team Valor International and WinStar Farm, is a two-time winner from five starts for trainer Todd Pletcher. Last fall, he ran second behind Maxfield in the Claiborne Breeders' Futurity (G1) at Keeneland and this year was fourth in the Curlin Florida Derby (G1) at Gulfstream Park and third in the first division of the Arkansas Derby (G1) at Oaklawn Park.

Barry Irwin, the founder and CEO of Team Valor International, said he had a Wednesday morning discussion with Pletcher and Elliott Walden, president, CEO, and racing manager for WinStar Farm, and they all agreed regarding the change in plans. 

"Rather than lock horns with the big guys again, we'd like to pick this horse's head up and try to win a race," he said.

Gouverneur Morris is currently 11th on the Road to the Kentucky Derby with 34 points. The Blue Grass offers points on a 100-40-20-10 scale to its top four finishers.

Irwin, whose Team Valor partnership won the 2011 Kentucky Derby with homebred Animal Kingdom, acknowledged that COVID-19 scheduling changes have altered the Triple Crown landscape and how some 3-year-olds are managed. The Belmont Stakes, for instance, is the first leg of the Triple Crown this year, and its distance was shortened from 1 1/2 miles to 1 1/8 miles.

"I think this year is all about survival and staying in action. We should just get through this year the best way we can," he said. "Everybody's just got to be creative and adaptable, and next year we'll return to normal. But this year, it's not going to be the same. Everybody knows it. These races are still going to be valuable and prized. We just have to go with the flow. We can't worry about what the distance is, whether it's losing prestige. Everything's different this year, everywhere."

Gouverneur Morris has been training at Palm Beach Downs in the month since the Arkansas Derby, most recently working five-furlongs there in :59.95 June 5.