Essential Quality Returns to Work Tab at Fair Grounds

Godolphin homebred and undefeated 2-year-old Essential Quality returned to the work tab at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots for trainer Brad Cox Dec. 20 where he breezed three furlongs in :36 1/5. The work was the first back for the Tapit  colt since he clinched his third victory in the Nov. 7 TVG Breeders' Cup Juvenile Presented by Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (G1) at Keeneland. 

"We're very, very happy," said Jimmy Bell, president and racing manager for Godolphin. "He's sort of just beginning the new season. He got his time off from the Breeders' Cup until now, but Brad said his work was smooth and effortless. You have to start with a new beginning and that's all that work was." 

Bred in Kentucky out of the Elusive Quality mare Delightful Quality, Essential Quality burst onto the racing scene in the fall with a dominating four-length maiden special weight score Sept. 5 at Churchill Downs. Less than 30 days later, the colt returned to the winner's circle at Keeneland when he turned in an equally impressive performance in the Claiborne Breeders' Futurity (G1), crossing the wire 3 1/4 lengths clear of his competition. 

The Breeders' Futurity served as a stepping stone for Essentual Quality to the Breeders' Cup World Championships. His three victories have helped the colt bank earnings of $1,335,144. 

With 2020 drawing to a close, Bell said no concrete path had yet been mapped out for Essential Quality's upcoming sophomore campaign. Essential Quality currently sits atop the Road to the Kentucky Derby leaderboard with 30 points. 

"As far as what we're thinking of doing—considering how his training goes and the timing of it all—we have not set anything just yet," said Bell. "I think a few more works down the road we will be more able to draw a map to what we're thinking. This time of year we have a lot of options and a lot of places to go, so we will take our time and make sure he continues training. The breeze was to show that he's back in business going through work patterns." 

Essential Quality's return to training was icing on the cake of a successful weekend for Godolphin, who also sent homebred 3-year-old Maxfield to victory Dec. 19 in the Tenacious Stakes at Fair Grounds. The 1 1/16-mile Tenacious was the first race back for the son of Street Sense  since taking the May 23 Matt Winn Stakes (G3) at Churchill Downs.

Trained by Brendan Walsh, Maxfield had been among the favorites for the 2020 Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) but was knocked off the trail for the rescheduled Sept. 5 classic in June due to a non-displaced lateral condylar fracture in his right foreleg. He resumed training in the latter half of September. 

The fracture was the second physical setback for Maxfield, who—like Essential Quality—looked poised for victory in the 2019 Breeders' Cup after winning his debut and the Breeders' Futurity in rapid succession. A favorite for last year's Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Santa Anita Park, the colt was scratched days before the race because of a minor foot bruise. 

Despite his previous issues, Bell said he was pleased to see that Maxfield looked to be in fighting form exiting the Tenacious and hopes that plans for the colt will be solidified soon. Bred in Kentucky out of the Bernardini  mare Velvety, Maxfield has won all four of his career starts and earned $489,262 in purses. 

"It was important to see how he came out and handled things mentally and physically," said Bell. " You couldn't take a look past yesterday when you have the cobwebs and the rust and the time off. But he certainly gave every indication that he's ready to take on more opportunities. We didn't discuss any future targets because we wanted to get through yesterday, but now we can look at things more seriously.

"Essential Quality and Maxfield, they're both beginning in different fashions. One is in the middle of racing and one is just getting ready to start again. But the real bottom line is that they're both happy and healthy."