Maxfield Stakes
| Class | Grade III |
|---|---|
| Location | Churchill Downs Louisville, Kentucky, United States |
| Inaugurated | 2022 (as Maxfield Overnight Stakes) |
| Race type | Thoroughbred - Flat racing |
| Website | www |
| Race information | |
| Distance | 7 furlongs |
| Surface | dirt |
| Track | left-handed |
| Qualification | Three-year-olds |
| Weight | 123 lbs with allowances |
| Purse | $250,000 (2026) |
The Maxfield Stakes is a Grade III American Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds over a distance seven furlongs on the dirt scheduled annually in late June at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky.
History
[edit]The event was named after Godolphin's Maxfield, who earned $2,001,812 from a record of 8-2-1 in 11 starts for trainer Brendan Walsh between 2019 and 2021.[1] Maxfield, a Kentucky-bred son of 2007 Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense, was a two-time Grade I winner. As a two-year-old, Maxfield won the 2019 Breeders' Futurity Stakes and won his career finale in the $750,000 Clark Stakes at Churchill Downs in 2021.[2] Maxfield is the first horse to sweep Churchill Downs’ Alysheba Stakes, Stephen Foster Stakes and Clark Stakes in a calendar year.[2]
The event was inaugurated on July 3, 2022, as the Maxfield Overnight Stakes over a distance of seven furlongs and was won by Winchell Thoroughbreds' Gunite, who started as the short 9/10 odds-on favorite winning by a length holding off My Prankster in a time of 1:23.08.[3] Gunite was racing in his ninth start and was ridden by jockey Tyler Gaffalione.[4] Later in his career Gunite would win the Grade I Forego Stakes at Saratoga.[5]
In 2023 the event was moved to Ellis Park after Churchill Downs closed their spring meeting earlier due to a spate of injuries.[6]
In 2024 the event was run as the Maxfield Stakes with Listed Status.[7]
After two runnings of the event with Listed status, in 2026 the event was upgraded to Grade III by the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association.[8]
Records
[edit]Speed record:
- 7 furlongs: 1:20.77 – Verifire (2025)
Margins:
- 5+3⁄4 lengths – Deep Flame (2026)
Most wins by a jockey:
- No jockey has no more than one win
Most wins by a trainer:
- 2 – Steven M. Asmussen (2022, 2023)
- 2 – Brad H. Cox (2025, 2026)
Most wins by an owner:
- No owner has no more than one win
Winners
[edit]| Year | Winner | Jockey | Trainer | Owner | Distance | Time | Purse | Grade | Ref | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| At Churchill Downs – Maxfield Stakes | ||||||||||
| 2026 | Deep Flame | Irad Ortiz Jr. | Brad H. Cox | Juddmonte Farms | 7 furlongs | 1:21.43 | $250,000 | III | [9] | |
| 2025 | Verifier | Flavien Prat | Brad H. Cox | Resolute Racing | 7 furlongs | 1:20.77 | $239,665 | Listed | [10] | |
| Maxfield Overnight Stakes | ||||||||||
| 2024 | Raging Torrent | Antonio Fresu | Doug O'Neill | Mark D. Davis | 7 furlongs | 1:22.04 | $173,700 | Listed | [11] | |
| At Ellis Park | ||||||||||
| 2023 | Ryvit | Cristian Torres | Steven M. Asmussen | Corinne & William L. Heiligbrodt | 7 furlongs | 1:22.33 | $171,100 | [12] | ||
| At Churchill Downs | ||||||||||
| 2022 | Gunite | Tyler Gaffalione | Steven M. Asmussen | Winchell Thoroughbreds | 7 furlongs | 1:23.08 | $160,000 | [3] | ||
See also
[edit]External links
[edit]References
[edit]- ↑ "Equibase - Horse Profiles Maxfield (KY)". www.equibase.com. Equibase. Retrieved June 15, 2026.
- 1 2 "$250,000 Maxfield (Listed)" (PDF). kentuckyderby.com (media). Churchill Downs Inc. 2025. Retrieved June 14, 2026.
- 1 2 "2022 Maxfield Overnight Stakes Black Type – (race 8)" (PDF). Equibase. 3 July 2022. Retrieved 14 June 2026.
- ↑ "Profile of Gunite". Equibase. Retrieved November 6, 2023.
- ↑ Johnson, Karen M. (August 26, 2023). "Gunite Repels Elite Power in Forego; Under a masterful ride from Tyler Gaffalione, Gunite defeated his chief rival". bloodhorse.com. Retrieved June 15, 2026.
- ↑ King, Byron (2 June 2023). "Churchill Downs Suspends Meet; Dates to Shift to Ellis The ongoing meet at Churchill Downs had been scheduled to run through July 3". Bloodhorse.com. Retrieved 12 June 2023.
- ↑ "MAXFIELD STAKES - MULTIPLE TRACKS". Thoroughbred Pedigree Online. 2026. Retrieved June 15, 2026.
- ↑ "TOBA Announces U.S. Graded and Listed Stakes for 2026". Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association. 19 December 2025. Retrieved 21 December 2025.
- ↑ "2026 Maxfield Stakes Grade 3 - (Race 9)". Equibase. 28 June 2026. Retrieved 28 June 2026.
- ↑ "2025 Maxfield Stakes Listed – (race 10)" (PDF). Equibase. 29 June 2025. Retrieved 14 June 2026.
- ↑ "2024 Maxfield Overnight Stakes Listed – (race 6)" (PDF). Equibase. 30 June 2024. Retrieved 14 June 2026.
- ↑ "2023 Maxfield Overnight Stakes Black Type – (race 8)" (PDF). Equibase. 2 July 2023. Retrieved 14 June 2026.