Godolphin Pair Graduate Impressively Over Weekend

This column highlights the performances of 3-year-old maidens who have made no more than five starts and who either sold for more than $500,000 at public auction, have siblings that are graded/group winners, or have dams that are graded/group winners. BloodHorse research shows maiden winners, in particular, who meet these criteria are more likely to go on to be graded stakes winners.

TURFWAY PARK

Favored to collect its seventh title as the year's leading owner and fifth title as leading breeder at the Eclipse Awards Ceremony Jan. 23, the powerful Godolphin racing stable sent out two high-profile maiden winners over the weekend from the barn of Brendan Walsh.

The two winners, both half siblings to Godolphin-raced stars on the track in Pretty Mischievous and Maxfield , came in different parts of the country. Walsh unleashed first-time starter Wondrous, a half sister to multiple grade 1 winner Maxfield and recent grade 3 victress Loved, in a six-furlong maiden special weight last Friday on a wintry night at Turfway Park. However frigid the temperatures were, Wondrous ramped up the heat with a sizzling, come-from-behind stretch run.

Wondrous was no stranger to the frosty conditions, having trained with Walsh's Turfway string throughout the winter in anticipation of her debut. Falling back to seventh early in the sprint over the synthetic track, Wondrous appeared beaten turning for home before angling into the clear in midstretch, collaring the leader with a potent burst of speed yards from the finish. She surged under the wire on top by a widening 2 1/4 lengths in a time of 1:12.45.

The daughter of Uncle Mo followed her accomplished older brother in gracing the winner's circle in her first start. Maxfield, a grade 1 winner at 2, a graded stakes winner at 3, and a grade 1 winner again at 4, retired with more than $2 million in earnings. He took up the helm at his alma mater, standing at Darley Stud alongside his sire, Street Sense . Maxfield's first 2-year-olds will race this year.

Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots

While Maxfield is arguably the best colt Walsh has ever trained, Godolphin homebred Pretty Mischievous could claim the title as the best filly to come through the Irishman's stable. A vision in the paddock with her stunningly good looks, Pretty Mischievous was a tiger on the racetrack. The daughter of Into Mischief  wrote Godolphin's name into the history books when she handed the operation its first Kentucky Oaks (G1) victory in 2023. She proceeded to win two more grade 1s in the Acorn (G1) and Test (G1) stakes to rise to the top of her division.

Unable at 4 to regain her winning form, Pretty Mischievous retired to the Godolphin broodmare band in 2024. Less than a year after her retirement it looks like her sister Pretty Sassy is poised to take up the mantle. Pretty Sassy is the youngest foal to race out of Godolphin's $3.5 million purchase, the grade 1-winning Tapit  mare Pretty City Dancer. While the stable acquired Pretty City Dancer in foal at the 2018 Fasig-Tipton November Sale, Pretty Sassy is a product of pure Godolphin breeding. The stone gray filly is sired by Godolphin stalwart Medaglia d'Oro , who recently left Darley Stud to join the stallion ranks at Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa. Medaglia d'Oro, the sire of 25 grade 1 winners worldwide, is also the sire of Godolphin's top Kentucky Derby (G1) prospect, Breeders' Futurity (G1) winner East Avenue, as well as the undefeated filly Good Cheer.

A closing fifth sprinting 6 1/2 furlongs in her debut at Churchill Downs in November, Pretty Sassy handled the stretch out to 1 1/16 miles with aplomb Jan. 19 at Fair Grounds. Tucked along the rail in third, the filly rated patiently before pouncing on the leaders at the top of the lane. Assuming command with a furlong to go, she drew off by 7 1/2 lengths in a hand ride under a quiet Edgar Morales.

Sent off as the even-money favorite in her second outing, Pretty Sassy stopped the clock in 1:46.46.