Abel Cedillo has been named to ride Gary and Mary West's Maximum Security in the Grade 2 San Diego Handicap at Del Mar on July 18 when the 2019 champion 3-year-old makes his first start since being transferred to trainer Bob Baffert.
The New Year's Day colt was previously trained by Jason Servis, who in March was indicted on criminal charges of misbranding drugs and conspiracy resulting from an FBI probe into the illegal doping of racehorses.
Maximum Security's regular rider, Luis Saez, tested positive earlier this week for coronavirus and required to go into quarantine.
Baffert said Saez would regain the mount when he returns.
“I thought he might fit the horse,” Baffert said of Cedillo. “Cedillo has won some races for me, including that stake on the Wests' filly, Fighting Mad (the G2 Santa Maria on May 30 at Santa Anita).”
Cedillo, formerly based in Northern California, is completing his first full year in Southern California. At the recently completed Santa Anita meet, Cedillo finished second behind Flavien Prat in the rider standings.
Maximum Security has been assigned 127 pounds under the handicap conditions of the 1 1/16-mile San Diego, five more than Higher Power (winner of the G1 Pacific Classic in 2019) and Midcourt (G2 San Pasqual winner in 2020). No horse since Native Diver toted 131 pounds in 1965 has carried more weight in winning the San Diego Handicap. California Chrome won under 126 pounds in 2016 in his first start since winning the G1 Dubai World Cup.
First across the wire but disqualified for interference in the G1 Kentucky Derby last year, Maximum Security won eight of 10 races, most recently taking the inaugural running of the $20-million Saudi Cup in Saudi Arabia. The organizers of that event withheld the winner's purse after the federal indictment of Servis, trainer Jorge Navarro and two dozen others.
Baffert conceded Maximum Security may need a race after being off nearly five months since the Saudi Cup.
“I feel I've done as much with him as I can for this,” Baffert said on Sunday. “I've been working him in company. He's a lazy horse in the morning and I can see now why they may ran him for $16,000 (maiden claiming) first out. He's a really smart horse; a lot of class, and a really intelligent horse.”
Maximum Security finished his serious preparations for the San Diego with a five-furlong breeze on Saturday in :59.60.
Equibase past performances of San Diego Handicap nominees
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