BC Classic Next Stop on Maximum Security's Wild Journey

In a world where seemingly everything is recorded, all of Maximum Security 's races are out there—including his ultra-competitive 2019 Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) where he holds off every challenger and powers to the wire 1 3/4 lengths ahead of his closest rival.

Also readily available for viewing is Maximum Security's courageous victory in the most lucrative race ever contested: this year's Saudi Cup where he most assuredly proved on the money—changing lanes in early stretch to surge past Mucho Gusto and then hold off a late charge from Midnight Bisou.

In what is usually a simple sport that celebrates the first horse to the wire, those videos would usually tell the story: raw athleticism, focused determination, a champion. But in the case of Maximum Security there seemingly is always more to the story. Events that would follow the two aforementioned efforts have made his racing career one of the strangest in history.

While he reached the wire first in the Derby, the stewards then reviewed the race when objections were lodged. After looking at events, specifically an incident near the 5/16th pole where Maximum Security came out several paths, the stewards reached a decision some 22 minutes after the race: Maximum Security was disqualified and placed 17th—the first horse in history to be taken down for interference from an apparent Derby victory.

An ensuing request by owners Gary and Mary West to appeal the stewards' decision to the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission was denied. That denial was contested in a Kentucky federal court, where it was tossed. That court decision was appealed, but in late August of this year the U.S. Court of Appeals sided with the lower court's decision not to hear the case.

The evening of the Derby, moments after a Churchill Downs official took back the roses that had been given to his wife Mary, Gary West attempted to describe an event that no other owner had ever been put through.

"We've been in this game for 40 years. In 2002 we had Buddha; I think he was the second choice on the morning-line for the Kentucky Derby, and the horse came up lame and didn't even get to run," West said. "So we've had some big wins and some big losses, but this is the biggest. You can't have a bigger loss than this in horse racing."

While finishing first in the Derby only to have it taken away would sting the connections of any horse, DQs are part of the sport. The next headlines Maximum Security would be involved in were of more concern.

Five days after sending Maximum Security out to victory in the Saudi Cup, his trainer, Jason Servis, was among 27 trainers, veterinarians, and others indicted on federal charges related to doping horses. That indictment specifically alleges that a designer, performance-enhancing substance was administered to Maximum Security in 2019.

The indictment of Servis, which has not yet been resolved in court, saw the Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia decide to hold the race's first-place purse, $10 million, until the court case against Servis was resolved.

During the 2018-20 timeframe of the indictment's accusations against Servis, the trainer doesn't have a single failed post-race drug test—a fact that could be in the trainer's favor or could suggest shortcomings in a current system highly reliant on post-race tests that may be missing designer drugs.

BloodHorse reached out to Gary West, who has been there from the start of Maximum Security's rise from a maiden-claiming debut win to racing's heights, but he graciously declined—preferring to wait until his standout's racing career ends for any summations.

The next stop for Maximum Security, in one of the oddest racing careers in history, will be the $6 million Longines Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) where he'll be among the favorites. Performance on the track has never been a problem for the son of 2013 Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) winner New Year's Day.

West did offer that Maximum Security, now trained by Bob Baffert, will be facing another high hurdle in this year's Classic as he faces stablemates Improbable , who has won three straight grade 1 races; and 2020 Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) winner Authentic; as well as Belmont Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets (G1) victor Tiz the Law; among others.

"This is one of the deepest Breeders' Cup Classics in many years and if one of four horses wins this race, I think they should win Horse of the Year," West said.

Baffert recalls being impressed by Maximum Security's competitiveness after watching the champion 3-year-old of 2019 race for the first time out of his barn in the July 25 San Diego Handicap (G2) at Del Mar. In his first race in nearly five months, Maximum Security led early, dropped back to stalk, then took back sharply coming out of the first turn. Maximum Security surged again in the backstretch, making up ground. Turning for home he drifted out before finally getting down to business, dueling with Midcourt through the stretch to prevail by a nose.

"The first time I ran him at Del Mar, he was in position then stopped. He came back around but turning for home, he had every reason to get beat," Baffert said. "And for some reason I'm watching him thinking, 'If you're a great horse, you're going to get up.' And he did. Great horses—they find a way to win."

The 2019 Derby win-that-wasn't followed an unlikely rise to the top. Maximum Security debuted in a $16,000 maiden claiming race Dec. 20, 2018 at Gulfstream Park, went right to the lead, and drew off for a 9 3/4-length win. He followed with two victories in starter condition races before making his stakes debut in the Xpressbet Florida Derby (G1), which he led every step to score by 3 1/2 lengths.

Before the Derby, Servis said he initially didn't see much in the mornings from Maximum Security. Baffert said to this day Maximum Security rarely looks like a champion before noon.

"He can be very deceiving," Baffert said. "In that way he reminds me of Silver Charm. Silver Charm was very tough but whether I worked him with a stakes horse or a $30,000 maiden-claiming horse, he was only going to outwork either one by a nose. That's just who he was—he's not going to give you anything extra in the mornings. And I can see why they ran this horse in a maiden $16. But one thing about it, he has another quality that Silver Charm has that you can't measure, and that's heart. He has heart galore."

Maximum Security missed the final two legs of the Triple Crown but closed out his 3-year-old season with victories in the TVG.com Haskell Invitational Stakes, Bold Ruler Handicap (G3), and Cigar Mile Handicap (G1).

Before his 4-year-old debut in the Saudi Cup, owners associated with Coolmore Stud would buy in. After the indictment of Servis, Maximum Security would be transferred to Baffert.

He won his debut for his new trainer in the San Diego, and followed with a three-length win in the TVG Pacific Classic Stakes (G1). He'll enter Saturday's test off a runner-up finish to stablemate Improbable in the Awesome Again Stakes (G1).

Baffert said it was important to gain an understanding of Maximum Security when the standout was first moved to his barn. 

"When you get a horse like that, especially as he was trained a little bit differently than I train, I got to know him. I really got to know him probably the last few months—what he likes, what he doesn't like," Baffert said. "He's a big, strong, heavy horse but he's got a tremendous heart and lung capacity. He doesn't ever come back blowing. … He can be empty and still keep finding more."

So Maximum Security will try 1 1/4 miles for the third time Saturday. His previous two efforts at the distance? He won this year's Pacific Classic—and he reached the wire first in last year's Kentucky Derby.