Maxfield Headlines Field of 12 in Matt Winn

LOUISVILLE, KY – Godolphin homebred Maxfield drew post 10 in the field of 12 for his 2020 debut in Saturday’s $150,000 Matt Winn Stakes (G3) at Churchill Downs.

The 23rd running of the Matt Winn has been made an official Kentucky Derby (G1) prep race awarding the top-four finishers with points toward the starting gate on September 5. The winner will receive 50 points, second place will earn 20, third 10, and fourth 5.

Maxfield debuted at Churchill Downs on September 14 in a mile-long maiden special weight. Though he broke slowly and raced at the rear early, Jose Ortiz piloted Maxfield five-wide through the far turn and down the stretch to win by 3/4 of a length.

Trainer Brendan Walsh brought him back less than a month later for the Breeders’ Futurity, a 1 1/16-mile two-turn test at Keeneland. Once again, he overcame a slow start and drew off in the stretch to win by 5 1/2 lengths with Ortiz in the irons. That field included future graded stakes-placed foes Enforceable (who later won the Lecomte Stakes [G3]) and Gouverneur Morris.

Maxfield was expected to contend for favoritism in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) a month later at Santa Anita Park, but just three days before the race, Walsh was forced to scratch him after he looked off in his right front. He later had surgery to remove a mildly displaced chip in his ankle and was given 60 days’ rest, with his connections choosing to build him toward a trip on the Kentucky Derby Trail.

Walsh has spent the past two months building a foundation back into Maxfield with a steady string of strong efforts dotting his workouts. Maxfield is expected to be named the morning line favorite.

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Here is the full field for the Matt Winn:

The Matt Winn is part of a -race card that includes four other stakes, each with a $100,000 purse:

• Blame Stakes: 1 mile on dirt; open to all horses 4 and up
• Shawnee Stakes: 1 1/16 miles on dirt; open to fillies and mares 4 and up
• Tepin Stakes: 1 mile on turf; open to 3-year-old fillies
• War Chant Stakes: 1 mile on turf; open to all 3-year-olds