Maximum Security Headed to Baffert's Barn

Owner Gary West has announced that Maximum Security will be turned over to Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert after Jason Servis' March 9 federal indictment on doping-related charges.

Maximum Security won the $20 million Saudi Cup Feb. 29 and was named the champion 3-year-old male of 2019.

"Yesterday, Jason Servis, a trainer we have used for five years was indicted on multiple charges regarding using an illegal substance in horses. This news is extremely disturbing and disappointing. Therefore we will be moving all our horses from Jason Servis as soon as arrangements can be made with other trainers. Maximum Security will be sent to Bob Baffert," West said in a statement.

West and his wife, Mary, bred and co-own Maximum Security in a partnership with Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor, and Derrick Smith.

Baffert said he regretted the circumstances under which Maximum Security will move to his barn.

"This is all very upsetting. I feel really bad for the horse and Gary and Mary West for all they have been through the last year," Baffert said.

Maximum Security is currently in quarantine in Chicago after returning to the United States from Saudi Arabia and the homebred son of New Year's Day will be given some time off before he resumes training.

"He's in quarantine right now with McKinzie (who was 11th in the Saudi Cup.) McKinzie is coming back to California, but Maximum Security is headed back to the farm, I believe it's Dell Ridge (in Lexington), and they'll let him down a little bit. He will be checked and I'm sure vets will go over him. I don't know when I'll get him or where he'll go, either to Kentucky or California."

Aside from the Saudi Cup, Maximum Security is best known for being disqualified from first to 17th in last year's Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1). His Eclipse Award came via wins in the Xpressbet Florida Derby (G1), TVG.com Haskell Invitational Stakes (G1), and Cigar Mile Handicap (G1).

Michael Dubb, a seven-time leading owner in New York who has built daycare centers at Belmont Park and Saratoga Race Course for the children of backstretch workers, had 20 horses with Servis and said he was "sickened to be involved with anything that gives the sport a black eye."

"From the time when I first became involved in horse racing almost 20 years ago, I fell in love, not only with the horses, but with the backside and the people involved in it. It has always been my goal to give back to the sport I love so much. Events involving the Servis barn, which is one of eight trainers we employ, only highlight the need for the federal legislation to create oversight for this sport as well as moving along New York's effort to create a state-of-the-art testing lab so that everyone involved in the sport, from owners to fans, and especially the horses, are protected," Dubb said.

Dubb said his horses would be dispersed to trainers Chad Brown, Brad Cox, Christophe Clement, Mike Maker, Todd Pletcher, and Rob Atras.

It was previously reported that his stakes winner and grade 1-placed Shekky Shebaz, who is owned in partnership with Madaket Stables and Bethlehem Stables, will be taken out of training and sent to a farm before moving to a new handler.

Dubb said he was in no rush to run any of the 20 horses, even after they land in new barns.

"I wouldn't want to enter the horses anytime soon," he said. "I want to regroup with these horses. I want the trainers to take their time with the horses and make sure they are comfortable with running them."

Among others making plans to move their horses March 10 were Rockingham Ranch and Brian Trump. Both had runners with Jorge Navarro, who was among 27 individuals named in four federal indictments. The late X Y Jet, one of the horses specifically highlighted in the indictment as allegedly treated with performance-enhancing drugs, was owned by Rockingham while Trump was working as the California stable's operations manager. Another horse mentioned in the indictment, Nanoosh, was owned by Rockingham Ranch, Zayat Stables, and David Bernsen when he made his 2019 debut Feb. 18 in the Razorback Handicap (G3) at Oaklawn Park.

Trump has since left Rockingham Ranch to go out on his own.

Trump and Rockingham both tweeted Tuesday morning that they were sending horses to Cox, but Cox told BloodHorse Tuesday afternoon that he was not willing to accept runners previously trained by Navarro.

"We're going to decline those horses. They reached out to me last night and I did more investigating and talked to some people and decided it is not a good time to accept those horses trained by Navarro."

Cox said he will continue to train two Rockingham horses already in his barn.

He also confirmed that he will be accepting an unspecified number of horses from Dubb and his partners and added that no one else had reached out to him about taking horses from the trainers involved in the indictments.

In his tweet Trump said: "In the wake of yesterday’s indictment, my two horses under the care of Jorge will be picked up today. Amalfi Queen will be retired from racing and become a broodmare in KY and Ripper Magoo will be sent to Brad Cox."

"All of my horses with Jorge are being picked up at Palm Meadows today and will be sent to trainer Brad Cox," Rockingham owner Gary Hartunian shared via the Rockingham Twitter account. "That includes Jalen Journey, Norma's Love and Red Bottom Rebel."

Hartunian and Trump did not respond to requests for comment Tuesday afternoon.

Owner Ron Lombardi of Mr. Amore Stable confirmed the intentions he expressed a day earlier in BloodHorse, saying he will send the 12 horses he had in training in New York and Florida with Servis to Kelly Breen. Topping that roster is grade 1 winner Firenze Fire.

Breen will also train the 10-12 2-year-olds Lombardi expects to race this year.