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After their final starts North American champion and classic winner Essential Quality and Gr.1 winner, Maxfield will join the Darley Stallion roster at Jonabell, the farm announced Oct. 25.
"To have both Essential Quality and Maxfield coming to Jonabell is as exciting as it gets. And to have accomplished what they did as homebreds in the colors of Godolphin makes it even that much more meaningful," said Darley sales manager Darren Fox. "They consistently performed at the highest level and if you add in their outstanding pedigrees and conformation, we feel very confident that their legacy will continue to grow through their future offspring.
Essential Quality is a son of Tapit out of a Gr. 3-placed half-sister to champion and Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies winner Folklore. He has won eight of nine career starts four at the Gr. 1 level and was named champion 2YO male for 2020 following victories in the TVG Breeders' Cup Juvenile presented by Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance and Claiborne Breeders' Futurity.
At 3 his victories include the Belmont Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets and he became the first Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner to capture the Belmont. He went on to win the Runhappy Travers Stakes at Saratoga Race Course, joining Street Sense as the only champion 2YO in the past 30 years to take the "Midsummer Derby." A Gr. 1 winner at 1 1/16 miles, 1 1/4 miles, and 1 1/2 miles, Essential Quality also lists three other graded victories to his credit: the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes Jim Dandy Stakes, and the Southwest Stakes He has beaten only a length when fourth in this year's Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve. His fee will be set following the Longines Breeders' Cup Classic on Nov. 6 at Del Mar.