Maxfield, Knicks Go, Medina Spirit Lead Sept. 25 Works

With a slew of Breeders' Cup World Championship preps and other major events across the country next weekend, several big-name horses turned in their final works Sept. 25 for upcoming targets.

Godolphin's Maxfield  registered his final breeze for the Oct. 2 Woodward Stakes (G1) at Belmont Park, covering a half-mile in :49.55 on the New York oval's main track.

The five-time graded stakes-winning millionaire completed his half-mile move, marking the quarter-mile in :24.71, galloping out five furlongs in 1:02.10, and up six furlongs in 1:14.81 under Jose Ortiz, who has piloted Maxfield to five of his seven lifetime victories. 

"It was a very good work," said trainer Brendan Walsh. "We just wanted to give him a feel for the track. He did all of his serious work in Saratoga. It was just a routine half-mile. He galloped out really well. We're all set for the Woodward."

Work of the Day from #BelmontPark, Multiple Graded Stakes winner Maxfield worked 4 Furlongs in 49.55 on September 25th, 2021, for trainer Brendan Walsh. Maxfield is expected to make his next start in the Woodward Stakes on October 2nd. @1stbet @BreedersCup @brenpwalsh pic.twitter.com/5BpK96WbdL

— XBTV (@WatchXBTV) September 25, 2021

Maxfield, a 4-year-old son of Street Sense  , enters the Woodward off a runner-up effort to Knicks Go  in the Aug. 7 Whitney Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course.

Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher also worked horses at Belmont Park pointed to local graded action next weekend.

Repole Stable, St. Elias Stable, and Gainesway Stable's July 17 Sanford Stakes (G3) winner Wit , second in the Sept. 6 Hopeful Stakes (G1) last out at Saratoga, and Robert and Lawana Low's decisive Aug. 21 Spa maiden winner My Prankster  worked in company over the Belmont training track in preparation for the Oct. 2 Champagne Stakes (G1).

Wit and My Prankster breezed through splits of :25.25 and :37.25 before completing their five-furlong breeze in 1:01.84.  

"It was a good solid work for them both," said Pletcher. "They're pointing for the same race, so I thought it made sense to work them together. They make good workmates, they were head-and-head throughout. 

"My Prankster was very impressive in his maiden win," Pletcher added. "His gate work I thought was impressive before he first ran, he's not a horse that is an overzealous work horse. If you hadn't seen that gate work, you might not have expected the debut he had, but he's a pretty laid back colt. It's always a big stretch to go from a one start maiden to a grade 1 stake, but we've had some success doing that."

Jim Bakke and Gerald Isbister's promising Champagne aspirant Jack Christopher , trained by four-time Eclipse Award-winner Chad Brown, breezed five-eighths in company with sophomore maiden winner Pipeline  in 1:00 Saturday on the main track. The time was the fastest of 18 at the distance. 

Jack Christopher was an 8 3/4-length debut winner in a six-furlong maiden special weight Aug. 28 at Saratoga.

The Champagne is a "Win and You're In" race for the Nov. 5 TVG Breeders' Cup Juvenile Presented by the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (G1) at Del Mar.

Knicks Go Gears Up at Churchill

Trainer Brad Cox sent out a pair of Longines Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) hopefuls in Korea Racing Authority's Knicks Go  and Godolphin's Essential Quality  Saturday at Churchill Downs. 

Knicks Go clipped five furlongs in 1:00 4/5 with exercise rider Edvin Vargas aboard. A last-out winner of the Whitney, the multiple grade 1 winner is likely to be the heavy favorite in the Oct. 2 Lukas Classic Stakes (G3) under the Twin Spires. 

Vargas was aboard Essential Quality about two hours earlier at 5:30 a.m. when the 3-year-old colt cruised an easy half-mile in :50 3/5. The move was Essential Quality's second work following his Aug. 28 Runhappy Travers Stakes (G1) win at Saratoga. He will likely have five more works prior to competing in the Breeders' Cup Classic.

"These are two extremely talented horses that we have in our barn," Cox said. "They've both accomplished a lot this year and we're looking forward to the Breeders' Cup."

Medina Spirit Works for Awesome Again

Zedan Racing Stables' Medina Spirit  was scratched out of Saturday's Pennsylvania Derby (G1) at Parx Racing and will instead stay home at Santa Anita Park for the Oct. 2 Awesome Again Stakes (G1). Winner of the Aug. 29 Shared Belief Stakes (G1) at Del Mar, the Bob Baffert-trained 3-year-old worked five furlongs in :59 4/5 Saturday at Santa Anita.

The Awesome Again is a "Win and You're In" event for the Breeders' Cup Classic.

Runhappy Santa Anita Derby (G1) winner Rock Your World, owned by Hronis Racing and Talla Racing and trained by John Sadler, also worked Saturday at Santa Anita, covering five furlongs in 1:04 2/5. He ran second this summer to Medina Spirit in the Shared Belief.