Ivy Girl swept past the longtime frontrunners with less than a furlong to go on her way to posting a three-and-a-quarter length victory in an eight-furlong maiden contest at Aqueduct on Saturday, Nov. 15.
In doing so, the two-year-old filly became the 18th for her freshman sire, Maxfield.
Ridden by Manny Franco, Ivy Girl was hustled from the gate and was moved up to chase the pace from third, as Island Charm and Cathedral Aisle battled up front. Ivy Girl began her move on the far turn, as she shifted out from the rail to the three path.
Ivy Girl continued to chase the dueling leaders on the outside into the final furlong, finally sweeping past the embattled duo to win going away.
Bred in Kentucky by Farfellow Farms Ltd., Ivy Girl is out of Critikal Reason, a Stakes-placed daughter of Aptitude. In addition to Ivy Girl, Critikal Reason is also the dam of Bajan (Speightstown), a multiple Stakes winner who was also third in the G1 Santa Anita Oaks; and Graded Stakes-placed Virtual Machine (Drosselmeyer). Critikal Reason is a half-sister to G1 Kentucky Oaks winner, Lemons Forever, dam of the G1-winning full sisters, Forever Unbridled (Champion older mare, G1 Breeders’ Cup Distaff) and Unbridled Forever (G1 Ballerina Stakes).
In addition to Ivy Girl, Maxfield's other first-crop winners include his most recent TDN Rising Star, Englishman; Max Ciao, winner of the I’m Smokin Stakes at Del Mar; Saratoga debut winners Five Bars (recently third in the G1 Frizette), Boomington and Rock It Rob; recent Keeneland winners Tingus Pingus and Lady Valor, and recent Santa Anita maiden winner, Cosmic Heat.
Maxfield will stand the 2026 breeding season at Jonabell Farm for $50,000, stands and nurses.
