By DRF.com
DEL MAR, Calif. (Sept. 5, 2025) – Max Ciao held off a sustained threat from Thirsty Rebel in the final quarter-mile to post a minor upset in Friday’s $101,000 I’m Smokin Stakes for 2-year-old Golden State Series-eligibles at Del Mar, giving freshman stallion Maxfield his first stakes winner.
Max Ciao ($16.60) ran 5 1/2 furlongs in 1:03.59, recording his second consecutive win. He won a maiden race for California-breds at 5 1/2 furlongs on Aug. 8 at Del Mar by 6 1/4 lengths in his third start.
The win in the I’m Smokin Stakes was a tougher test.
Max Ciao, ridden by Armando Ayuso, stalked 7-5 favorite Sammy Davis, who took an early lead from an inside post and set fractions of 21.51 seconds for the opening quarter-mile and 44.61 for a half-mile.
With wide moves, Max Ciao and 3-2 Thirsty Rebel ran as a pair on the turn and passed Sammy Davis in the stretch. The two dueled to the finish before Max Ciao prevailed by a nose in a Terry Lovingier-bred exacta.
“He had to fight for the win,” co-owner and winning trainer Steve Knapp said.
Thirsty Rebel finished 1 1/4 lengths in front of 9-1 Saul Elliott, who was followed by Fionello, Sammy Davis, Another Bulleit, Pavlovian, and Desert Dawg.
Max Ciao is co-owned by Lovingier and John Moroney. The colt was listed as not sold at the 2024 Fasig-Tipton California yearling sale last September. Max Ciao was third and fourth in his first two starts. He has earned $117,000.
Maxfield, whose oldest foals are 2-year-olds, stood for $40,000 at Darley Stud in Kentucky earlier this year.
Max Ciao is out of Bella Ciao, who was listed as sold to Lovingier for $165,000 at the 2022 Keeneland November breeding stock sale while in foal to Maxfield.
Knapp said after the race that Max Ciao will be pointed to the $175,000 Golden State Juvenile for California-breds at seven furlongs on Oct. 31 Breeders’ Cup undercard at Del Mar.