Extravagant Kid on Course for Ascot After May 22 Breeze

Extravagant Kid , who last won the Al Quoz Sprint Sponsored by Azizi Developments (G1) during the March 27 Dubai World Cup card at Meydan, is preparing to compete at another prestigious international racing event: Royal Ascot in England.

The 8-year-old Kiss the Kid gelding, who has won 15 of 50 starts and earned over $1.58 million for owner DARRS, is being considered for two races at Royal Ascot: the five-furlong King's Stand (G1) June 15 and the six-furlong Diamond Jubilee (G1) June 19.

Trained by Brendan Walsh, Extravagant Kid on May 22 turned in his third work at Keeneland since his Dubai performance, covering five furlongs in 1:02 1/5 in company with stakes-placed Lontano  over a fast dirt track. 

Clockers caught Extravagant Kid with his initial three furlongs in :36 before a final quarter-mile in :26 1/5.

"He worked great. He's doing good," Walsh said about Extravagant Kid, who would be the trainer's first starter at Royal Ascot. "Looks like he came out of the race in Dubai good and got back in good shape."

The fact that Extravagant Kid handled the trip to and from Dubai so well gave his connections confidence in sending him to Royal Ascot. His win at Meydan also was over a straightaway, as are sprints at Ascot.

In the six-furlong Al Quoz Sprint, jockey Ryan Moore took Extravagant Kid to the outside in midpack as the field split into two groups among the 13 runners. Extravagant Kid and Moore then launched an attack to take the lead in the final furlong. The final time was 1:09.26 on good turf.

"If it worked out good going to Dubai, why wouldn't it work out going to England?" Walsh said. "He shows that he's good enough to take on those kind of horses."

The Al Quoz Sprint was Extravagant Kid's first win since last May, though the veteran had remained competitive during a seven-race losing streak. One of his losses was a close fourth in the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1T) at Keeneland last fall.

Walsh said Moore will again ride the gelding at Royal Ascot. Extravagant Kid is to accompany the contingent of horses trained by Wesley Ward on the flight from Indianapolis.

Another Saturday worker at Keeneland for Walsh was Godolphin's Maxfield , who was clocked in :49 4/5 for a half-mile in his first work since winning the April 30 Alysheba Stakes Presented by Sentient Jet (G2) at Churchill Downs. The 4-year-old son of Street Sense   is scheduled to make his next start in the June 26 Stephen Foster Stakes (G2) at Churchill Downs.

"Maxfield is doing great," said Walsh, who has around 40 horses stabled at Keeneland and others at Churchill Downs. "He worked nice, and we're back on the go and on to the next spot."