Maxim Rate Rolls Home to Win Goldikova Stakes
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Photo: Benoit Photo
Maxim Rate won the Goldikova Stakes at Santa Anita Park
Slam Dunk Racing and James Branham's Maxim Rate has not finished worse than second in five starts this season, and Oct. 25 at Santa Anita Park she returned from a runner-up effort in the Sept. 26 Rodeo Drive Stakes (G1T) to land the $201,000 Goldikova Stakes (G2T).
Despite breaking a bit slow and being settled in fifth of seven by jockey Umberto Rispoli, Maxim Rate closed around the far turn with a three-wide bid to run past her rivals. She won by 2 1/2 lengths and completed the mile on firm turf for fillies and mares in 1:33.85.
Trainer Simon Callaghan plans to let the 4-year-old Exchange Rate filly step back up to the top level in the Nov. 29 Matriarch Stakes (G1T) at Del Mar.
"After her last race, I sat down with all the owners, and that was the plan," Callaghan said. "She came out of her last race so well, so I said, 'To be honest, we kind of need to run this filly because she is doing great.' Thankfully, it worked out. It was a great win today."
"Without a doubt, this was her best race to date," added Slam Dunk's Nick Cosato. "It was great to be able to get Umberto for this race. Anytime you can get either Umberto Rispoli or Flavien Prat, it's a good position to be in.
Umberto Rispoli and Maxim Rate after winning the Goldikova Stakes
"I really want to thank Simon for this. The goal was to run in the Matriarch, but Simon came to me and said this filly is doing too good, we have to run her. That's pretty impressive. When you give a trainer the latitude to wait and they urge you to run in a race that you hadn't originally intended to run, it says a lot. It's great to win this, and the goal is still to run in the Matriarch. The timing is good."
Raymundos Secret, the even-money favorite, broke sharp in Sunday's feature and set fractions of :22.79, :46.20, and 1:09.92 through three-quarters. Maxim Rate, the 2-1 second choice, rolled past down the stretch to secure the victory. Zee Drop rallied for second over Tonahutu in third. Raymundos Secret, Silberpfeil, Atomic Blonde, and Hang a Star completed the order of finish.
Maxim Rate is undefeated in three starts with Rispoli aboard, including the Aug. 16 CTT and TOC Stakes at Del Mar.
"We know that she can go further in the distance, and that's why I wasn't afraid to go a mile and three wide," Rispoli said. "Everybody knows I like to save ground, but that was not the case. I knew that she could go further, and she responded really well. When she took the lead, she kind of pulled herself up a little bit, but she's definitely improving and I think she still can improve."
Maxim Rate was bred in Kentucky by Fred Hertrich III and John Fielding. She is the second foal out of the Unbridled's Song mare Catch My Eye, whose third foal is a yearling colt by Violence . She produced a Street Sense colt this year and was reported bred to More Than Ready .
First sold as a weanling at the 2016 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale, Maxim Rate was purchased out of the Taylor Made Sales Agency consignment by KD Bloodstock for $130,000. Agent A.C. Elliott went to $235,000 to secure her from St George Sales the following year at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale.
Maxim Rate has earned $402,185 from a 5-3-0 record in 13 starts.