Godolphin homebred Maxfield (Street Sense) will bypass an expected start in the GI Breeders' Cup Classic Nov. 6 and will instead point for the GI Clark H. at Churchill Downs 20 days later. The story was originally reported by the Daily Racing Form.
“He has such a good record at Churchill. We're going to skip California with him altogether,” trainer Brendan Walsh told the DRF. “It's very important for him to win a Grade I this year. This probably gives him his best chance to get a Grade I at this stage of his career.”
Maxfield's defection leaves top rider Jose Ortiz open for the Classic.
Winner of the 2019 GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity S., Maxfield is a perfect four-for-four at Churchill Downs. He broke his maiden there on debut, won the 2020 GIII Matt Winn S. and captured the GII Alysheba S. and GII Stephen Foster S. earlier this season. The bay most recently finished second in both the Aug. 7 GI Whitney S. and Oct. 2 GI Woodward S.
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