The following appeared in The Paulick Report May 23. Virginia businessman David Ross, who races under the stable name DARRS, Inc., is President of the Virginia HBPA and is the winningest owner in the history of Colonial Downs.
DARRS Inc.’s veteran Extravagant Kid, who last won the $1 million Al Quoz Sprint (G1) Sponsored by Azizi Developments during the March 27 Dubai World Cup card, is preparing to compete at another prestigious international racing event: Royal Ascot in England. The 8-year-old gelding, who has won 15 of 50 starts and earned $1.58 million, is being considered for two races at Royal Ascot: the five-furlong King’s Stand (G1) on June 15 and the six-furlong Diamond Jubilee (G1) on June 19.
Trained by Brendan Walsh, Extravagant Kid on Saturday turned in his third work at Keeneland since his Dubai performance, covering 5 furlongs in 1:02.20 in company with stakes-placed winner Lontano over a fast dirt track.
Clockers caught him in fractions of :11.80, :24, ;36, :49.60 and 1:02.20.
“He worked great. He’s doing good,” Walsh said about Extravagant Kid, who would be the trainer’s first starter at Royal Ascot. “Looks like he came out of the race in Dubai good and got back in good shape.”
Extravagant Kid wins the Grade I Al Quoz Sprint in Dubai. Photo by Coady Photography.
The fact that Extravagant Kid handled the trip to and from Dubai so well gave his connections confidence in sending him to Royal Ascot.
“If it worked out good going to Dubai, why wouldn’t it work out going to England?” Walsh said. “He shows that he’s good enough to take on those kind of horses.”
Walsh said Ryan Moore, who rode Extravagant Kid to his Dubai victory, will ride the gelding at Royal Ascot. Extravagant Kid is to accompany the contingent of horses trained by Wesley Ward on the flight from Indianapolis.
Another Saturday worker at Keeneland for Walsh was Godolphin’s Maxfield, who was clocked in :49.80 for a half-mile in his first work since winning the April 30 Alysheba (G2) Presented by Sentient Jet at Churchill Downs. The 4-year-old son of Street Sense is scheduled to make his next start in the June 26 Stephen Foster (G2) at Churchill.
“Maxfield is doing great,” said Walsh, who has around 40 horses stabled at Keeneland. “He worked nice, and we’re back on the go and on to the next spot.”