Maximum Security back to the track with 2019 race plans
As top division rival Code of Honor heads to the Breeders’ Cup Classic, Maximum Security may get a chance — or even two — to bolster his candidacy for a 3-year-old male Eclipse Award.
Ben Glass, racing manager for owners Gary and Mary West, said Thursday that Maximum Security is back to the track after a colon nephrosplenic entrapment forced the colt to scratch from last month’s Pennsylvania Derby (G1).
“When he went through that colic, he lost a lot of weight,” Glass said. “It wasn’t a good deal. He’s back in training, but he’s a long ways from being where he was.”
Connections are hopeful the homebred son of New Year’s Day — a winner of the Florida Derby (G1), first across the wire in the Kentucky Derby and the Haskell Invitational (G1) hero — could step back up in company for Churchill Downs’ Grade 1, $500,000 Clark run the day after Thanksgiving.
Before then, Belmont Park hosts the Grade 2, $200,000 Bold Ruler on Oct. 26 that may serve as a prep race of sorts going 7/8 of a mile. The July 20 Haskell marked Maximum Security’s most-recent start.
“We don’t know until the horse has a little more training how advanced he is, or how much he lost,” Glass said.
Going to the Clark would set Jason Servis-trained Maximum Security up for a 2020 campaign that includes Gulfstream Park’s Pegasus World Cup (G1) and the new $20 million Saudi Cup run at the end of February as targets, Glass said.
“I don’t think he can make the Breeders’ Cup, no,” Glass added. “But you’ve got a lot of other races coming up.”
To compare resumes, Code of Honor won the Fountain of Youth (G2) and Dwyer Stakes (G3) before adding a signature victory in the Travers Stakes (G1), a race Maximum Security’s camp elected to pass. He was then placed first in the Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) last Saturday.
Maximum Security and Code of Honor have met twice. In the Florida Derby, Maximum Security led gate to wire. In the Kentucky Derby, interference through the far turn led to Maximum Security’s disqualification. That change by stewards elevated Code of Honor to second in the running order.