Maxfield kept his perfect record intact with a dominating three-and-a-quarter-length victory in the G3 Mineshaft Stakes at Fair Grounds Feb. 13.
Making his first start of the year for trainer Brendan P. Walsh, the four-year-old Street Sense colt earned his second Stakes win of the Fair Grounds’ meet, after taking the Listed Tenacious Stakes over the same trip in December.
Sent off as the heavy 3-5 favorite in the field of six older runners, Maxfield was off a step slow and was settled at the rear of the field by jockey Florent Geroux. Maxfield began to close in on longtime leader Dinar on the backstretch and had moved up to third while sweeping wide on the far turn. The Godolphin homebred then took command at the top of the stretch and drew off from his rivals, eventually crossing the wire an easy winner while still under a hand-ride.
Bred in Kentucky by his owner, Maxfield is out of the mare Velvety, a winning daughter of Darley stallion, Bernardini. Velvety is out of the multiple Graded Stakes-winner, Caress (G3 Beaugay, G3 Poker H., etc.), and is a half-sister to Sky Mesa (G1 Hopeful) and Golden Velvet (G3 Sixty Sails).
Maxfield is the fifth Stakes winner of 2021 for his sire, Street Sense. In addition to the Mineshaft winner, Street Sense is the sire of Concert Tour, winner of the G2 San Vicente Stakes; Zaajel, winner of the G3 Forward Gal Stakes; Capo Kane, winner of the Jerome Stakes and Hollis, winner of the Stonerside Sprint Stakes.
Street Sense is standing the 2021 breeding season at Jonabell Farm for a fee of $60,000, stands and nurses.
