Daily Racing Form National Digital Edition
Maximum Security to face 7
ELMONT, N.Y. – Maximum Security certainly didn’t scare off the competition. The multiple Grade 1 winner – and the horse disqualified from first in the Kentucky Derby – will face seven opponents when he makes his return to the races in Saturday’s Grade 3, $200,000 Bold Ruler Handicap at Belmont Park.
One of Maximum Security’s opponents is Diamond King, trained by John Servis, brother of Jason Servis, trainer of Maximum Security.
“I was pointing to the Bold Ruler way before he was, so it’s no respect for me,” John Servis quipped.
Maximum Security drew the rail in the Bold Ruler, a sevenfurlong race that will be the 3-year-old’s first start since he won the Grade 1 Haskell Invitational on July 20 at Monmouth. It also will be his first start against older horses.
Maximum Security had to scratch from the Grade 1, $1 million Pennsylvania Derby on Sept. 21 at Parx Racing due to a severe bout of colic. His connections are using the Bold Ruler as a potential stepping-stone to the Grade 1, $750,000 Cigar Mile on Dec. 7 at Aqueduct.
The Cigar is likely on the minds of a lot of the connections with horses in the Bold Ruler, including John Servis.
Diamond King, a 4-year-old son of Quality Road, is coming off a narrow loss to Coal Front in the Parx Dirt Mile on the undercard of the Pennsylvania Derby. It was Diamond King’s third start since Servis put blinkers on him.
“We’ve been beating around the bush in these Grade 3s and Grade 2s, getting close, not getting it done,” Servis said. “I really feel a flat mile is probably his best race. Maybe with the blinkers, shortening up to seven-eighths might be the way to go.”
Maximum Security is the 121-pound highweight under
Luis Saez in the Bold Ruler, which goes as race 8 on a 10-race card. Outside of him, in post order, are Tale of Silence, Wonderful Light, True Timber, Knicks Go, Killybegs Captain, Diamond King, and Prince Lucky.
There are two other stakes on Saturday’s program.
In the $100,000 English Channel Stakes for 3-year-olds at one mile on turf, Front Run the Fed seeks his fourth consecutive victory. Trained by Chad Brown and owned by Seth Klarman, Front Run the Fed is coming off a half-length victory over Bourbon War in the Better Talk Now at Saratoga. Bourbon War, who has since run seventh in the Hill Prince, is back in this spot.
Others entered include Call Me Harry, Halladay, Power Player, Seismic Wave, Chilly In
Charge, and Digital Footprint.
The $100,000 Awad Stakes for 2-year-olds going a mile on turf drew a field of 11. Impressive debut winners Tiesto and Don Juan Kitten head the field, which also includes Talking, sixth in the Grade 1 Summer, and Laurel Futurity winner Irish Mias.
Sir Winston works
Sir Winston, the Belmont Stakes winner, breezed three furlongs in 37.20 seconds on Wednesday morning at trainer Mark Casse’s farm in Ocala, Fla. It was his first breeze since the Belmont.
Casse had announced in June, about two weeks after the Belmont, that Sir Winston had an injury to his left front ankle that would take him out of the major 3-year-old stakes.
At the time, Casse said he wanted to bring Sir Winston back for a race at the end of this year with an eye toward some of the big-money races in 2020 such as the Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream in January, the new $20 million Saudi Cup in February, and the Dubai World Cup at Meydan in March.
Casse said he still hopes to run Sir Winston this year, but where is far from certain. He didn’t rule out a start on the turf.
“You don’t have to train him quite as hard” for turf, Casse said. “I was just happy to get today done. When you’re bringing one back you’re always a little nervous for that first work. I was happy with him. He’s going to be tough to get ready because he’s not a great work horse.”