Maximum Security, Improbable to Meet in Awesome Again

The final stop on the West Coast road to the Longines Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) Nov. 7 at Keeneland is the $300,000 Awesome Again Stakes (G1) Sept. 26 at Santa Anita Park, a race headed by stablemates Maximum Security and Improbable.

Also in the five-horse field are last-out allowance optional claiming winner Take the One O One, Charles Town Classic (G2) victor Sleepy Eyes Todd, and dual graded winner Midcourt. All have frontrunning or up-close running styles.

Currently first and fourth, respectively, in the Breeders' Cup Classic rankings, Maximum Security and Improbable last met almost a year and a half ago. Racing in the slop at Churchill Downs in the 2019 Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1), Maximum Security crossed the wire first before he was disqualified and placed 17th for interference, while Improbable saw his position elevated from fifth to fourth. The latter was largely unaffected by Maximum Security's erratic second turn and stretch run while beaten 3 1/4 lengths.

Hall of Famer Bob Baffert now trains the duo after conditioning only Improbable last year. Maximum Security was transferred to him this spring after former trainer Jason Servis was indicted on doping-related charges in March shortly after he won the Saudi Cup.

The 4-year-old New Year's Day colt is 2-for-2 since, narrowly taking the San Diego Handicap (G2) July 25 at Del Mar and following that with an easy three-length score there when left unopposed on the lead in the Aug. 22 TVG Pacific Classic Stakes (G1). The latter score in a designated Breeders' Cup qualifier earned him a paid, automatic berth in the Classic.

"He's training really well. I'm happy with him," Baffert said. "He hasn't regressed or anything like that. I love the way he's moving."

Maximum Security races for the colt's breeders, Gary and Mary West, and the Coolmore-affiliated Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor, and Derrick Smith.

Improbable also has a Classic berth after capturing the Whitney Stakes (G1) Aug. 1 at Saratoga Race Course. After being rambunctious in the starting gate, as he is known to do, he scored by a couple of lengths over By My Standards and Tom's d'Etat, both of whom broke poorly after Improbable's unsettled behavior.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJdJJV97-8A

Maximum Security and Improbable's participation Saturday, therefore, has nothing to do with the Awesome Again being another "Win and You're In" challenge race. Rather, it's because it is at their home track, not requiring a ship and leaving them with six weeks' rest leading into the Classic.

Improbable has already hit the road this year, having shipped to Arkansas in the spring when he was second to Tom's d'Etat in the Oaklawn Mile Stakes and to Saratoga for the Whitney. He also won the Hollywood Gold Cup (G1) at Santa Anita June 6.

WinStar Farm, China Horse Club, and SF Racing own Improbable, a 4-year-old son of City Zip.

Baffert said he and Elliott Walden, the president and racing manager for WinStar, consulted and felt the timing of the Awesome Again was better leading into the Breeders' Cup than an alternative race such as the Oct. 10 Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) at Belmont Park.

Baffert said the colt—once called "Baby Justify ," a reference to the trainer's 2018 Triple Crown winner—has developed from age 3 to 4.

"He's always been a great athlete that skips over the ground," he said. "He's going to be tough. He's a good horse. But I think mentally he's matured. Physically, he's matured."

Drayden Van Dyke rides Improbable, while Luis Saez, Maximum Security's jockey for the majority of the colt's career, is reunited with him Saturday after twice missing the opportunity at Del Mar due to COVID-19 restrictions.

"They're letting him come in here and ride. So we're getting him back in there, ride him, and see how it goes," Baffert said. "He's going to ride some other horses for us here."

From his outside post in the field of five, Saez has the option of rating his mount, if need be, in a speedy lineup.

Maximum Security and Improbable carry high weight of 126 pounds, spotting the three other entrants between 2-4 pounds.

Midcourt seems the leading threat to the Baffert duo. He came within a nose of Maximum Security in the San Diego but was no match in the Pacific Classic when finishing third.

Patiently handled that afternoon by jockey Victor Espinoza, he stalked the pace along the inside and gradually lost ground on Maximum Security and runner-up Sharp Samurai, though he held the show in a photo. The 5-year-old Midnight Lute  gelding, owned by C R K Stable and trained by John Shirreffs, is a two-time graded winner in as many starts at the 1 1/8-mile distance of the Awesome Again.

Twice this past decade, Awesome Again winners took the Classic: Mucho Macho Man  in 2013 and Accelerate  in 2018.

2019 Awesome Again winner Mongolian Groom fatally broke down in last fall's Classic at Santa Anita, and runner-up McKinzie ran second behind Vino Rosso .

Entries: Awesome Again S. (G1)

Santa Anita Park, Saturday, September 26, 2020, Race 10

• Grade I
• 1 1/8m
• Dirt
• $300,000
• 3 yo's & up
• 5:14 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Take the One O One (CA)	Jose Valdivia, Jr.	122	Brian J. Koriner	20/1
2	2Improbable (KY)	Drayden Van Dyke	126	Bob Baffert	8/5
3	3Sleepy Eyes Todd (KY)	UMBERTO RISPOLI	124	Miguel Angel Silva	12/1
4	4Midcourt (KY)	Victor Espinoza	124	John A. Shirreffs	6/1
5	5Maximum Security (KY)	Luis Saez	126	Bob Baffert	3/5