Aurelius Maximus Returns to Stakes Company in Fayette

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Aurelius Maximus Returns to Stakes Company in Fayette
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Photo: Coglianese Photos
Aurelius Maximus earns his maiden win in 2018 at Belmont Park

While his two wins in as many starts this season have been spread out, Aurelius Maximus appears ready to return to stakes company for the first time in more than two years Oct. 10 in the $200,000 Hagyard Fayette Stakes (G2) at Keeneland.

Campaigned by Stonestreet Stables, George Bolton, and Peter Leidel, Aurelius Maximus held sway in a 1 1/16-mile allowance-level race Sept. 5 at Churchill Downs to post a 1 1/2-length victory. That effort looks like a useful prep race for the lightly raced 4-year-old son of Pioneerof the Nile who will be competing in a stakes race for the first time since finishing fourth in the 2018 Champagne Stakes (G1) at Belmont Park.

Trained by Steve Asmussen, Aurelius Maximus started 2020 with a bang, posting a 2 3/4-length victory in a Jan. 4 allowance-level race at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots. But Aurelius Maximus did not return to the races for eight months.

Bred in Kentucky by Martell Bloodstock and Fifth Avenue Bloodstock, Aurelius Maximus is out of grade 3 winner La Reina, by A.P. Indy. His dam also has produced 2013 Swaps Stakes (G2) winner Chief Havoc.

The expected field of 10 for the 1 1/8-mile race Saturday includes a pair of grade 2 winners, Tax and Mr Freeze, each looking to looking to bounce back from a pair of unplaced finishes. 

R. A. Hill Stable, Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, Hugh Lynch, and Corms Racing Stable's Tax will be looking for his first win since the 2019 Jim Dandy Stakes (G2). The 4-year-old son of Arch will be making his first start since May 2 when he finished fifth in a loaded edition of the Oaklawn Handicap (G2). Trained by Danny Gargan, Tax has breezed seven times since Aug. 10, including a half-mile move in :48.68 Sept. 24 on the Oklahoma training track at Saratoga Race Course, earning the bullet.

Jim Bakke and Gerald Isbister's Mr Freeze led early in the Sept. 4 Alysheba Stakes Presented by Sentient Jet (G2) at Churchill but faded to sixth. That effort marked the first start for the 5-year-old son of To Honor and Serve since a sixth-place finish in the Runhappy Metropolitan Handicap (G1) July 4 at Belmont.

Trainer Dale Romans hopes Mr Freeze can return to the form he showed early in the year at Gulfstream Park when he finished second in the Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes Presented by Runhappy (G1) in January and then won the Gulfstream Park Mile Stakes (G2) in February.

Romans also entered Albaugh Family Stables and Helen Groves Revocable Trust's Coastal Defense, a 4-year-old son of Curlin  who will make his stakes debut off a 2 1/2-length allowance win Sept. 27 at Churchill.


Entries: Hagyard Fayette S. (G2)

Keeneland, Saturday, October 10, 2020, Race 8

  • Grade II
  • 1 1/8m
  • Dirt
  • $200,000
  • 3 yo's & up
  • 4:57 PM (local)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L
1 1Coastal Defense (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Joseph Talamo 121 Dale L. Romans 6/1
2 2Captivating Moon (KY) Julien R. Leparoux 121 Chris M. Block 5/1
3 3Crafty Daddy (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Brian Joseph Hernandez, Jr. 121 Kenneth G. McPeek 5/1
4 4Mirinaque (ARG) Gerardo Corrales 121 Maria C. Munoz 15/1
5 5Title Ready (KY) Corey J. Lanerie 121 Dallas Stewart 10/1
6 6Mr Freeze (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Javier Castellano 121 Dale L. Romans 3/1
7 7Rated R Superstar (KY) Martin Garcia 121 Cipriano Contreras 20/1
8 8Tax (KY) Tyler Gaffalione 121 Danny Gargan 7/2
9 9Mo Mosa (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Florent Geroux 118 Michael J. Maker 12/1
10 10Aurelius Maximus (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Ricardo Santana, Jr. 121 Steven M. Asmussen 10/1