Servis shuttling Maximum Security for Pennsylvania Derby prep

It’s going to be an early Friday for Maximum Security.

The horse, who was the first winner in the 145-year history of the Kentucky Derby to be disqualified from first due to interference during the race, is scheduled to be on track at Parx Racing, host of the Sept. 21 Pennsylvania Derby (G1). But he won’t be in town long.

Trainer Jason Servis said Sunday that his plan is to ship Maximum Security to Parx on Friday, work the horse over the track, put him back on the van and head back to his base at New Jersey’s Monmouth Park.

Servis said it takes an hour and 15 minutes to get from Monmouth to Parx. Maximum Security will ship at 4:30 a.m., get on track by 6:30 a.m. and then be back home at Monmouth in time for breakfast at 10:30.

“We will then ship back down in nine or 10 days after that to breeze him again,” Servis said over the weekend at his Saratoga barn. “Then, we’ll either stay there or go back to Monmouth.”

Maximum Security hasn’t run since winning Monmouth’s Haskell Invitational (G1) on July 20. After that race, Servis wanted to run in Saratoga’s Travers Stakes (G1), but the Haskell effort knocked his horse out for a while.

Temperatures were in the high 90s and the heat index was over 100 the day of the Haskell. Officials at Monmouth were forced to delay the race several hours until the temperatures cooled off.

“It was tough — a hot day — and he ran hard,” Servis said. “I think he was glad I didn’t run him back in the Travers. I would say he is starting to get some good color to him. We still have to get through some things, but we are looking forward to the race.”

Maximum Security has won five of seven career starts, the only losses coming in the Kentucky Derby and the June 16 Pegasus Stakes a race afterward at Monmouth.

Given the controversy over the Derby disqualification, Servis said he still gets fan mail addressed to the horse at the barn.

“I think people are really looking forward to see him run again,” Servis said.