West Would Support Saudi Cup DQ of Maximum Security

Owner Gary West says he would be supportive of a decision that would strip Maximum Security   of his victory in the 2020 Saudi Cup and cause a re-distribution of the race's $20 million in purse money. 

"We believe in the justice system and have patiently waited for the legal prosecution to take its course. Now that Jason Servis has entered a guilty plea, we want to make it clear that if the Saudi Cup decides to redistribute the purse we would support that decision. Hopefully, that action will prevent future conduct of this nature. We believe the decision to take the Saudi Cup purse from Maximum Security and redistribute it is the correct one," West said in a statement released late Dec. 9.

About a month after Servis, who trained Maximum Security for 10 starts capped by the Saudi Cup, was arrested in March 2020, Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia officials froze the $10 million winner's share of the race, saying they could not reach a fair and reasonable decision on the outcome until the case against Servis was settled.

Servis entered a guilty plea in New York federal court Dec. 9 to charges of doping horses under his care with misbranded and adulterated performance-enhancing drugs that were undetectable in tests by racing regulators.

In submitting his plea to United States District Court Judge Mary Kay Vyskocil, Servis told the court that Maximum Security had been administered SGF-1000, a prohibited substance that Servis falsely billed to owners as "acupuncture and chiropractic."

Servis is facing a prison term of up to four years at his May 18, 2023 sentencing.

Maximum Security won the Saudi Cup on Feb. 29, 2020, just nine days before Servis was among an original group of 27 defendants charged with the doping of Thoroughbred and Standardbred racehorses. Also included in the arrests was Jorge Navarro, the seven-time leading trainer at Monmouth Park, who entered a guilty plea last year and is currently serving a five-year prison sentence.

At the time of the Saudi Cup, in addition to Gary West and his wife, Mary, Maximum Security was also owned by the Coolmore team of Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor, and Derrick Smith, which stands the now 6-year-old stallion at Ashford Stud in Kentucky.

If the son of New Year's Day  is disqualified, then Midnight Bisou , who was second under the wire, would be declared the winner and receive the $10 million share of the purse.

In addition, Benbatl , who was third, Mucho Gusto  (originally fourth) and Tacitus   (fifth) would be elevated to second through fourth and have their share of the purse increased to $3.5 million for second, $2 million for third, and $1.5 million for fourth.

If Maximum Security is disqualified, it would mark the second time he has been stripped of a victory in a major grade 1 stakes. While trained by Servis and running for the Wests, Maximum Security crossed the wire first in the 2019 Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) but was placed 17th for interference, becoming the only horse to be taken down from first for an interference foul in the long history of the Run for the Roses.

West went to court to have the stewards' disqualification overturned, but his lawsuit was dismissed in November 2019.

Servis' conviction has also called into question whether the Eclipse Award Maximum Security received as the champion 3-year-old male of 2019 should be vacated.

At the moment, Maximum Security's racing record stands at 10 wins and two seconds from 14 starts. He made his final four starts as a 4-year-old with trainer Bob Baffert, winning twice in four starts, topped by the 2020 TVG Pacific Classic Stakes (G1), before he began stallion duties in 2021.