Unbeaten Maxfield Powers Home in Mineshaft Stakes
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Photo: Hodges Photography / Amanda Hodges Weir
Maxfield wins the Mineshaft Stakes at Fair Grounds Race Course
Godolphin's Maxfield was unhurried by jockey Florent Geroux early in the $200,000 Mineshaft Stakes Feb. 13 at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, but powered to the front down the stretch and pulled away to remain undefeated in five career starts for trainer Brendan Walsh.
It was the second victory of the meet for the 4-year-old Street Sense colt, who returned from a seven-month layoff to win the Dec. 19 Tenacious Stakes.
"We were very pleased with him. He's just a special horse," Walsh said. "You point him in the right direction and he does it for you. It's just a privilege to have him in our barn."
Geroux, who was aboard Maxfield for the first time in the Tenacious, settled the 1-2 favorite last of six through the first quarter-mile after the dark bay colt broke a step slowly. Maxfield was three wide into the first turn and up into fourth after a half-mile.
After the break Dinar bumped with Sonneman to his outside, and Sonneman bumped with Blackberry Wine another post out, before grabbing the lead. Sonneman drew off by six lengths for a :23.97 quarter and was 10 lengths in front after running a :47.49 half. His large margin was short-lived as Blackberry Wine closed in and was a half-length away as six furlongs went 1:13.06. Another half-length back in third and winding up three to four wide out of the far turn was Maxfield.
"The key I think with this horse is just getting him into a nice rhythm, whatever is comfortable, even if it's a little bit closer or it's farther (off the pace); it's wherever the horse feels comfortable," Geroux said. "From there I was just clocking those horses in front and when I asked him down the lane he just gave me a very nice kick."
Blackberry Wine contended with Maxfield early in the stretch, but the heavy favorite shook that rival before opening up on the field. Sonneman came with a late run but was 3 1/4 lengths back in second as Maxfield crossed the wire. The winner completed 1 1/16 miles on a fast track in 1:43.67 and increasing his earnings to $615,262.
Geroux felt Maxfield's Mineshaft win was even more impressive than the Tenacious.
"That was one of his first races actually he's had the chance of running back to back," Geroux said. "Now the screws are very tight and I think he's ready for bigger things."
A half-length behind Sonneman, Chess Chief grabbed third and Blackberry Wine was fourth. Enforceable and Dinar completed the order of finish. Wells Bayou was scratched.
Maxfield ($3.20) won the Claiborne Breeders' Futurity (G1) at 2 before missing the TVG Breeders' Cup Juvenile with a bone chip in his right front ankle. He returned last May to win the Matt Winn Stakes (G3), then missed the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) with a non-displaced lateral condylar fracture in his right front leg.
A Kentucky homebred, Maxfield is out of the Bernardini mare Velvety, a half sister to grade 1 winner and sire Sky Mesa . Velvety has since produced two foals by Medaglia d'Oro —a 3-year-old unraced colt named Dubai Vision and a 2-year-old filly. She lost a full brother to Maxfield in 2020 and was reported bred to Uncle Mo for 2021.
Walsh has left all race options open for Maxfield going forward.
"He's really progressed and he's turning into the horse we always thought he could be," Walsh said.