Maximum Security Delivers in Bold Ruler

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Photo: Coglianese Photos/Susie Raisher
Maximum Security in the winner's circle with trainer Jason Servis (black jacket) at Belmont Park

After all he has been through with Maximum Security in the past five months, it's understandable trainer Jason Servis became emotional after watching the 3-year-old win the $200,600 Bold Ruler Handicap (G3) by 1 3/4 lengths at Belmont Park.

"He's a special horse," Servis said as his voice cracked during a television interview.


Maximum Security surely turned in a special performance Oct. 26, one that signaled his return to top form.

The swift bay colt was fatigued after running in exhausting heat in the July 20 TVG.com Haskell Invitational Stakes (G1), missed the Runhappy Travers Stakes (G1), and suffered a bout of colic that kept him from running in the Pennsylvania Derby (G1) and the Breeders' Cup.

"I didn't think he was 100% today," Servis said. "I thought he might run third, and when he ran like that, I was saying to myself, 'He's a special horse.'"

Servis wasn't alone with those thoughts about Gary and Mary West's runner, who became famous—or infamous—on the first Saturday in May when he was disqualified from first to 17th in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1).

Watching from his home in California, Gary West was both impressed and proud after watching his homebred son of New Year's Day beat older horses while carrying high weight of 121 pounds and covering the seven furlongs in a sizzling 1:20.76—not far from the track record of 1:19.96.

"He ran a better race than I would have expected after everything the little horse has been through," said West, who is still waging a legal battle over Maximum Security's disqualification in the Kentucky Derby. "I thought that was a really good comeback race. I was very pleased with it. I have had horses who were nice horses before colic and weren't nice horses when they came back from colic. Did I have some trepidation after he went through something traumatic like that? Sure. If he would have run second or third, I would have been happy knowing he'll be better next time. Now I have to worry about him bouncing off a big race."

When the television interview concluded, Servis looked into the camera and said, "Thank you, Gary and Mary." It was a nod to the path that brought Maximum Security to Belmont on a cool, crisp fall afternoon.

"Most people would have hurried up and tried to get to the Breeders' Cup, but we talked it over with Jason and we came to the conclusion that since we are going to run him at 4, running in the Breeders' Cup was not in his best interests," West said. "I knew we were going to get criticized for running in a grade 3 race by ignoramuses who don't know that after a horse has colic and is off for three months, you don't want to start him at a mile and a quarter off a four-month layoff. But I'm immune to that. Jason knows the right thing to do with the horse, and I know the right thing to do with the horse, which was to bring him back to the races in something less than a mile and an eighth at one turn."

Both West and Servis were concerned with Maximum Security running along what they perceived to be a slow rail, and jockey Luis Saez was told to take back if he didn't break quickly enough from post 1 to grab the lead and move off the inside.

That became a moot point when Maximum Security broke quickly in the field of six, angled to the two path, and posted opening fractions of :22.90 and :45.22. Calumet Farm's True Timber pressed him but could not keep pace approaching the quarter pole.

A 3-5 favorite, Maximum Security ($3.20) spurted clear at the top of the stretch and led by two lengths at the eighth pole. He was unchallenged in the stretch as 23-1 outsider Tale of Silence rallied along the rail to grab second.

Maximum Security wins the 2019 Bold Ruler at Belmont Park 
Photo: Coglianese Photos
Maximum Security gallops clear in the Bold Ruler Stakes

The win was the sixth in eight starts for Maximum Security, who has earned $1,389,400.

"I thought we'd go a little bit slow, but the pace was pretty strong," Saez said. "They put pressure on me the whole way, but he's a running machine. He just kept running. When he came into the stretch, he took off again. It was pretty easy."

Tale of Silence had 2 1/2 lengths on True Timber, who settled for third.

Afterward, Servis said Maximum Security is going to be a "helluva 4-year-old," but there could be one more start in his future before the calendar turns to 2020. The most likely choices for the two-time grade 1 winner are the Clark Handicap Presented by Norton Healthcare (G1) Nov. 29 at Churchill Downs or the Cigar Mile Handicap (G1) Dec. 7 at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Regardless of which race they choose, the $9 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes (G1) at Gulfstream Park Jan. 25 is the major target.

Servis even tossed out that West mentioned he wanted to nominate the colt to the new $20 million Saudi Cup in Saudi Arabia Feb. 29, though that seems an unlikely spot for the son of the Anasheed mare Lil Indy.

"I believe it's a free entry, so there's no downside to entering," West said. "I don't know if I'm wild about running there. Personally, I'm not keen on it. We'd rather watch him race here in the United States."

Servis also tossed out another possibility, harking back to Maximum Security's first race when he won by 9 3/4 lengths in a $16,000 maiden claimer.

"There's always the Claiming Crown," he said with a chuckle.

Video: Bold Ruler H. (G3)