Early Friday morning, trainer Charlie Appleby took a scouting trip on the stretch of the Keeneland turf course to see what two days of rain had wrought and how it might affect his two runners for Godolphin later in the day in the Maker’s Mark Mile (G1).

“It was even across all the way,” Appleby said. “It was a good decision by Keeneland to take two earlier races off the turf, so it was fresh ground and it didn’t matter where you were.”

On a course rated yielding, Master of The Seas (IRE) finished 2¼ lengths in front of stablemate Naval Power (GB) after making a decisive move toward the rail in the upper stretch.

“Master of The Seas took the shortest route, and it was a good decision (by jockey William Buick),” Appleby said.

Godolphin and Appleby have a chance this afternoon to become the first owner-trainer combo to sweep the Maker’s Mark Mile and Jenny Wiley (G1) in the same year when English Rose (IRE) goes to the gate under Buick.

For now, Appleby said Master of The Seas and Naval Power would remain at Keeneland and ship to Churchill Downs, where an option for them might be the $1 million Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic (G1) going a mile and eighth on May 4.

“That would be good for Naval Power to step up to nine (furlongs) off this,” Appleby said. “And there is another race the same day at Aqueduct (the Fort Marcy-G2) at a mile and an eighth.”

The second wave of Godolphin invaders will be arriving soon with targets in Louisville and New York.

“Nation’s Pride (IRE) is penciled in for the ($400,000) Man o’ War (G2),” Appleby said of the May 11 race at Aqueduct that would mark the 2024 debut for the three-time Grade 1 winner. “And Legend of Time (GB) is coming for the ($600,000) American Turf (G2) at Churchill (on May 4).”