Deep Flame Sizzles in Maxfield on Graded Debut

Three-year-old colt Deep Flame could not be caught, striding home under little pressure to claim his first blacktype victory in the Gr.3 Maxfield Stakes on closing day at Churchill Downs.

Taken from Thoroughbred Daily News, 28th June 2026

Breaking well but outfooted to the lead, Deep Flame was content to stalk the early pace as Prize Pick posted opening fractions of :22.40 and a half-mile in :44.77. Deep Flame was never far away from the front as Brant kept him company going into the turn. Asked to take over the lead as they swung for home, the Brad Cox-trainee immediately put several lengths on his competition once they straightened out and the race was more or less over by midstretch. The final time was 1:21.43.

“It's been a great year, and I'm really happy to finish the meet with a nice horse like this one,” said Irad Ortiz Jr., “I love being here in Kentucky and riding horses like him. He did everything professionally today and impressed me once again.”

“He came into this race with a good foundation being his fourth career start,” said Cox. “We felt like the timing was right to stretch him out to seven furlongs. There's a long year ahead with a lot of big opportunities left. After the way he breezed last time, we were confident he was going to run a big race today.”

Deep Flame is the first blacktype runner for his dam, a half-sister to a small army of stakes winners and stakes producers, and is also the 100th graded stakes winner for his sire, Into Mischief. On his female side, Deep Flame is the fifth offspring for Barbadia to get his picture taken and her most recent to the races. His youngest siblings are a yearling filly by Kingman and a 2026 half-brother by Constitution. Of his older sisters, Fox Cove (First Defence) become a winner producer while his full-sister Patna has a juvenile named Lake Martin (Twirling Candy) in the wings.

Barbadia is a daughter of Willstar (Nureyev), making her a half-sibling to French Group 1 winner Etoile Montante (Miswaki). The female line is accomplished overseas and includes Group winner and Group 1-placed Red Letter (Frankel).