Foster stays hot as 23-1 Maxisuperfly takes Cincinnati Trophy
Turfway Park stakes recap by Kevin Kerstein (Coady Media photo of Maxisuperly winning the Cincinnati Trophy Stakes)
FLORENCE, Ky. (Friday, March 1, 2024) – Maxis Stable, Foster Family Racing and Chris Vitale’s 23-1 longshot Maxisuperfly was hustled out of the gate and never looked back, taking the field gate-to-wire in Friday’s $150,000 Cincinnati Trophy Stakes at Turfway Park Racing & Gaming, the “Prep Season” finale on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks.
Trained by red-hot Eric Foster, Maxisuperfly was ridden to victory by Walter Rodriguez and covered one-mile in 1:37.31. Foster, from Utica, Ky., near Owensboro and based much of the year at Ellis Park, has won 10 races at the Turfway meet, tying for second in the trainer standings with Brad Cox, both two wins behind John Ennis.
With her victory in the Cincinnati Trophy, Maxisuperfly earned 20 qualifying points towards a spot in the starting gate in the 150th running of the $1.5 million Longines Kentucky Oaks (GI) on Friday, May 3 at Churchill Downs.
Immediately out of the gate, Rodriguez sent Maxisuperfly to the lead and was never pressured on the front end while setting solid quarter-mile fractions of :24.03, :47.11 and 1:11.57. In the final eighth mile, Barbratina made a bold, late rally up the rail but could not catch Maxisuperfly who was clear by 1 ½ lengths.
Barbratina, under Axel Concepcion, earned 10 points for her runner-up finish. She was 4 ½-lengths clear of 2-1 favorite Living Magic who was followed by Everland, Cozee Rags, Figgy, Dazzlin’ Dictator, Stephanieswarrior, Vicountess and Falabella.
Living Magic, Everland and Cozee Rags earned 6, 4 and 2 points, respectively, towards the Kentucky Oaks.
Those who backed Maxisuperfly were handsomely rewarded with $2 mutuel returns of $48.36, $19.14 and $9.66. Barbratina paid $6.86 and $4.38 while Living Magic returned $4.10.
Maxisuperfly earned $88,280 for her victory in the Cincinnati Trophy to improve her overall earnings to $124,947. Her career record now stands at a 5-2-1-1.
Maxisuperfly is a 3-year-old daughter of Optimizer out of the Tapit mare Firefly. She was bred in Kentucky by Calumet Farm.
