Verifire, Romeo impress in closing-day stakes at Churchill

Verifire brought his career record to a perfect 3-for-3 with a fast win in the $239,665 Maxfield S. on Sunday’s closing-day card at Churchill Downs.

The three-year-old son of Authentic opened his career with blowout maiden and allowance wins, emerging as the 5-2 favorite in the Maxfield. With Flavien Prat in the saddle for trainer Brad Cox, the Resolute Racing color-bearer tracked splits of :22.36 and :44.56 while racing outside in third place. He advanced to lead through six furlongs in 1:08.34 and edged clear late to post a 2 3/4-length triumph in 1:20.77, missing the track record by only 0.33.

The pace-pressing Smoken Wicked held for second place over early leader Captain Cook, followed by Retribution, Speed King, Ancient World, Flood Zone, Kale’s Angel, Furio, Max Got Excited, and Normandy Coast.

Having proven his quality at the stakes level, the future is bright for Verifire. If he sticks to sprinting, the seven-furlong H. Allen Jerkens Memorial (G1) on Aug. 23 at Saratoga could be a potential summer target.

A few other notable stakes took place on closing day at Churchill Downs.

The stakes action kicked off with the $194,500 Bashford Manor S. for two-year-olds. Romeo, coming off a third-place finish in the Tremont S. at Saratoga, outran his 8-1 odds to post a decisive victory under jockey Xavier Perez. The son of Honor A. P. dashed to the front through fractions of :21.39 and :44.39, then kicked away to win the six-furlong dash by 3 3/4 lengths in 1:08.61. Comport, Password, Duke of Suggins, Spice Runner, Saul Elliott, and Longstrider trailed home the John Robb-trained winner.

Two-year-old fillies took center stage in the $225,000 Debutante S., a six-furlong sprint. Keeneland debut winner Percy’s Bar shrugged off a two-month break to win easily for jockey Luan Machado and trainer Ben Colebrook. The daughter of Upstart rated in fifth through an opening quarter in :21.29, rocketed to the front through half a mile in :44.82, and powered clear to score by five lengths in 1:09.71. Jaboss, Color Comin’ In, Americathegreat, Lilies N Paradise, Light Won Up, Essential Coffee, and Mine Strike completed the order of finish.

The $296,000 Hanshin S. for older horses racing one mile yielded an upset. While favored Saudi Crown tired to finish seventh, 12-1 longshot Will Take It rallied from sixth place against splits of :22.64, :45.15, and 1:08.99 to beat the Grade 1-placed Banishing by a neck in 1:34.10. Brian Hernandez Jr. rode the winner for trainer Dallas Stewart. Extra Anejo, Tumbarumba, Cagliostro, Judge Miller, Saudi Crown, and Best Actor rounded out the order of finish.