New York Jets

Trainer weighing whether Maximum Security races this weekend

Published Jun. 12, 2019 11:54 a.m. ET

OCEANPORT, N.J. (AP) — The trainer of Maximum Security plans to decide Thursday whether the colt will race this weekend in his first start since finishing first in the Kentucky Derby and being disqualified.

Jason Servis was uncertain Wednesday whether to run Maximum Security on Sunday in the Pegasus Stakes at Monmouth Park. The $150,000 race for 3-year-olds will be run over 1 1/16 miles.

Servis said recent bloodwork on Maximum Security showed no problems, but he felt the colt was still a little light in terms of weight. Servis had ordered the bloodwork after thinking that the colt was a little off during a workout Sunday.

"It's a tough decision. It really is," he said. "The bloodwork threw a wrench into everything because it was good. If it was bad, it would be easy."

The trainer said Maximum Security galloped 1 1/8 miles on Wednesday and looked fit.

The current plan is to race Maximum Security in the Pegasus and the Haskell on July 20, both at Monmouth Park. The colt would then be shipped to Saratoga Springs, New York, for the Travers Stakes on Aug. 24.

Maximum Security initially scored a 1¾-length victory over Country House in the Kentucky Derby on May 2. The victory was overturned 22 minutes later with a stunning decision by the stewards to disqualify the 9-2 second choice because of interference with eventual Preakness winner War of Will and other horses.

It marked the first time in the 145-year history of the Derby that the first-place finisher was disqualified for interference.