Despite Defeats Wests Have Strong 3-Year-Old Hand

As great as the sting of Maximum Security's first loss on a racetrack was in the TVG.com Pegasus Stakes at Monmouth Park, the outlook is anything but gloomy for owners Gary and Mary West who could wind up with two horses in the all-important showdown for 3-year-olds in the Runhappy Travers Stakes (G1).

When Maximum Security finished a length behind Red Oak Stable's King for a Day in the June 16 Pegasus, the disappointment was balanced by the fact it was his first race since May 4 when the homebred son of New Year's Day was disqualified from first to 17th in the Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (G1). Looking ahead, the runner-up effort before a crowd of 24,062, especially after stumbling at the start, could provide the foundation for an improved effort in the July 20 TVG.com Haskell Invitational Stakes (G1) at Monmouth Park.

"He scoped good and cleaned up his feed tub last night," trainer Jason Servis said June 17. "The break definitely compromised us. I saw he got a 100 Beyer Speed Figure, which means he has triple-digit Beyers in his last four races, which is pretty good for a 3-year-old."

Gary West tipped his hat to King for a Day's owners and trainer Todd Pletcher for having "the better horse" Sunday.

"Maximum Security stumbled at the start, which did not help his chances. That said, he got beat by a better horse (Sunday) and I congratulate Todd Pletcher and the owners of King for a Day for running a great race," West said.

While the Pegasus did not turn out as hoped for their 1-20 favorite, the Wests have been receiving good news about their other grade 1-winning 3-year-old, Game Winner. The 2-year-old champion is making good progress with trainer Bob Baffert after exiting a fifth-place finish in the Kentucky Derby with back issues, and the son of Candy Ride  is on track for the Aug. 24 Travers at Saratoga Race Course.

Undefeated in four starts at 2, Game Winner has yet to return to the winner's circle in his three 2019 starts as he was second in both the Rebel Stakes (G2) at Oaklawn Park and then the Santa Anita Derby (G1) prior to the Kentucky Derby.

"Game Winner came out of the Kentucky Derby with his hind end all jammed up. We backed off him and built his back up and he's doing better. His attitude is a lot better. I still think he's a 3-year-old to deal with," Baffert said. "I always felt Game Winner started out the best 3-year-old in the country and I'm trying to get him back to that. I'm feeling good about it now and I see a big difference in him. That race at Oaklawn threw him backwards, taking him out of town. Now it looks like he's coming back around."

Game Winner's presence would only add more glitter to the $1.25 million Travers, which could be the race that crowns a division champion in a year that has seen three different winners of the Triple Crown races—plus a fourth 3-year-old disqualified from first in the Kentucky Derby.

"I know the title is still out there," Baffert said.

The two-time Triple Crown-winning trainer said he may use the July 13 Los Alamitos Derby (G3) at Los Alamitos Race Course as Game Winner's stepping stone to the Travers.

Bred by Summer Wind Equine in Kentucky, Game Winner was purchased for $110,000 by Ben Glass, as agent for the Wests, from the Lane's End consignment at the 2017 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. Out of the A.P. Indy mare Indyan Giving, he has four wins in seven starts with earnings of more than $1.9 million.

If Maximum Security and King for a Day advance to the Haskell, they may find company in another of Baffert's 3-year-olds. 

Michael Lund Petersen's Mucho Gusto rallied from fourth to register a 2 1/4-length victory over stablemate Roadster in Sunday's  Affirmed Stakes (G3) at Santa Anita Park, which could earn him a trip to the Jersey Shore and give Baffert a chance to win the Haskell for the ninth time and also munch on a few franks at nearby Max's Famous Hot Dogs.

"Mucho Gusto is doing real well. I might take a shot at a race like the Haskell, because it's speed, a mile and an eighth, and that might be doable for him," Baffert said. "You can't just put him on the lead and let him run. You have to get him to relax."

A Kentucky-bred son of Mucho Macho Man , Mucho Gusto has won five of seven starts, with four wins in grade 3 stakes. He was bought for $625,000 from the Kirkwood Stables consignment at the 2018 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Two-Year-Olds in Training Sale. He was bred by Teneri Farm and Bernardo Alvarez Calderon.

Baffert had considered running Speedway Stables' Roadster in the Haskell but is mulling other options for his Santa Anita Derby winner. The Affirmed was Roadster's first start since finishing 15th in the Kentucky Derby. Prior to the Santa Anita Derby, he was a 2 1/2-length winner of a March 1 allowance optional claiming race at Santa Anita under Mike Smith.

"I was thinking about the Haskell if he ran to my expectations," Baffert said of the son of Quality Road . "He's a really good horse and at least he ran a positive race. Sometimes it takes a little longer than expected. Mike Smith said he didn't have that punch in the Affirmed like the horse he knows. He got so skinny. He's like a Whippet. I'll get him back there."

Bred by Stone Farm in Kentucky out of the Silver Ghost mare Ghost Dancing, Roadster was bought for $525,000 from his breeder at the 2017 Keeneland September Sale.

Baffert added that he still considers Maximum Security the favorite for the Haskell and believes the Pegasus will only make the Xpressbet Florida Derby (G1) winner more formidable in his next start.

"The Haskell is a good race and an important race," Baffert said, "but I still have a lot of respect for Maximum Security, I still think he's the horse to beat among the 3-year-olds."

Baffert agreed with Servis that the stumbling start came back to haunt Maximum Security and voiced praise for the way the Wests' colt battled in the stretch after setting the pace.

"Horses that stumble, it scares them a bit and gets them excited and they use themselves a little more. You could tell he was struggling and at the top of the stretch he was empty but he still went on. The ones who could do that in a situation like that are the good ones. It was like American Pharoah  in the (2015) Travers, he was completely empty and he still gutted it out (and finished second). Only certain horses will do that. Point Given in the (2001) Haskell, he was empty and he gutted it out to win. The great ones will hang on for a quarter-mile when they are empty. Don't dismiss Maximum Security, he's still a good one."

Having experienced his fair share of stunning losses in his Hall of Fame career, Baffert also said there could be a silver lining in the way the loss could reduce some of the pressure generated by the controversy over the disqualification in the Kentucky Derby and the Wests' pending lawsuit over the decision.

"With a hard race in him he's really going to be ready," Baffert said. "Sometimes a loss is good for everyone because the pressure with a horse like him eases."