Maximum Security

Maximum Security won his career debut in dominant, front-running fashion with a 9 ¾-length romp in a 6 ½-furlong maiden claiming race on Dec. 20, 2018 at Gulfstream Park. In that race, the colt by New Year’s Day could have been claimed by anyone for $16,000.

He made his 3-year-old bow on Jan. 24 at Gulfstream Park at three-quarters of a mile in a starter optional-claiming race, in which he was not offered for a claiming price. Maximum Security again dominated, rallying from third to win by 6 ½ lengths. Stretching out to seven-eighths of a mile for his next race — another starter optional-claiming race in which he was not offered for a claiming price — Maximum Security seized command early and rolled to victory by 18 ¼ lengths on his way to a new career-best 109 Equibase Speed Figure.

Trainer Jason Servis next decided to test Maximum Security against stakes competition on the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve trail in the Grade 1, $1 million Xpressbet Florida Derby.  Maximum Security charged right to the front under jockey Luis Saez and set a sensible pace, leaving him a ton of fuel in reserve as he entered the stretch in the 1 1/8-mile race. He spurted away from the opposition and remained unbeaten in a 3 1/2-length victory.

Winning the Florida Derby earned Maximum Security 100 points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby Leaderboard and a guaranteed spot in the starting gate for the first jewel of the Triple Crown. Sent off as the favorite in the Derby, Maximum Security set the pace throughout but veered wide leaving the turn for home, causing several horses to take up sharply. Maximum Security continued on gamely to the finish and crossed the wire first but was disqualified for interference, the first such disqualification of a winner in Derby history.

Maximum Security skipped the remaining two Triple Crown races and returned in the Pegasus Stakes at Monmouth Park on June 16, the local prep for the TVG.com Haskell Invitational Stakes in July. He set the pace through the backstretch with pressure coming from King for a Day but could not separate from that foe at the top of the stretch. Maximum Security battled King for a Day through the final furlong, but tired late to finish second, suffering for the first time on the racetrack a defeat. 

Maximum Security bounced back resolutely in his next start in the $1 million, Grade 1 TVG Haskell Invitational Stakes. He pressed the pace from second in the 1 1/8-mile race, put away King for a Day in eearly stretch, and then held off a stretch-long bid from Mucho Gusto for a hard-fought, one-length win.

Maximum Security took on older horses for the first time in the seven-eighths of a mile, Grade 3 Bold Ruler Handicap Oct. 26 at Belmont Park and led from start to finish en route to a 1 3/4-length win. He then stated his case for the Eclipse Award as champion 3-year-old male with a dominant victory in the Grade 1 Cigar Mile Handicap in which he put away Big Ass Fans Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile winner Spun to Run in early stretch.

Maximum Security concluded his 3-year-old campaign with the 2019 Eclipse Award as Champion 3-Year-Old Male as his connections eyed a start in the February 2020 Saudi Cup. Maximum Security made his 4-year-old debut a memorable one as he held off a game bid from Champion Midnight Bisou to prevail in the first running of the Saudi Cup for a purse of $20 million at King Abdulaziz Racetrack in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. 

After returning from Saudi Arabia, Maximum Security was transferred from Jason Servis to Bob Baffert after Servis was indicted by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York as part of a drug scandal.

Maximum Security made his first start for Baffert more than 4 1/2 months later in the Grade 2 San Diego Handicap and outdueled Midcourt in a thrilling stretch battle to win by a nose July 25 at Del Mar. He was even better in his second start for Baffert when he led from start to finish in a clear victory in the Grade 1 TVG Pacific Classic Aug. 22 at Del Mar to earn an expenses-paid berth in the Longines Breeders' Cup Classic. Maximum Security finished a distant second in the Grade 1 Awesome Again Stakes Sept. 26 at Santa Anita Park in his final prep for the 2020 Breeders' Cup Classic.

Maximum Security’s dam (mother), Lil Indy, by Anasheed, is a half-sister to two-time Jockey Club Gold Cup victor Flat Out.