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‘Max’ Back On Big Stage in Pacific Classic

The last time Maximum Security (New Year’s Day) traveled 10 furlongs, he crossed the wire first before the disqualification heard around the world in the GI Kentucky Derby. A ton has happened with the colt in the year-and-change since then: an Eclipse championship, a buy-in from Coolmore, a trip across the world to win the G1 Saudi Cup, doping allegations, a barn switch. Through it all, the horse who controversy seems to follow like a shadow will return to 1 1/4 miles and Grade I company with questions to answer in Saturday’s GI TVG Pacific Classic at Del Mar.

Following his Derby demotion with a runner-up effort at 1-20 in last summer’s TVG.com Pegasus S. at Monmouth, the bay found redemption by annexing the GI TVG.com Haskell Invitational S. on the Jersey Shore. After being forced to miss several months with a minor injury, he scored victories in the GIII Bold Ruler H. and GI Cigar Mile H. to wrap up his divisional title.

Just nine days after he notched a hard-fought triumph in the inaugural Saudi Cup in his 4-year-old debut, Maximum Security’s trainer Jason Servis was indicted by federal prosecutors for alleged doping of horses including Maximum Security himself, prompting a move to the Bob Baffert barn. Making his much-anticipated return in the July 25 GII San Diego H., he ground out a nose victory at 2-5, the 10th time in 11 career races he crossed the wire first, earning a 101 Beyer, 10 points shy of his top effort.

C R K Stable’s Midcourt (Midnight Lute), who nearly dueled Maximum Security into defeat, returns to take another crack at the champion. Lightly raced at five years old, the gelding reeled off four straight victories last year culminating in a 5 3/4-length conquest of the GIII Native Diver S. at this oval in November and picked up another open-length graded tally in the GII San Pasqual S. two starts later Feb. 1 at Santa Anita. A narrow third in the GI Santa Anita H., his initial 10-furlong try, Mar. 7, he bounced back from a badly-beaten fifth in the GI Gold Cup S. June 6 in Arcadia to stretch Maximum Security all the way to the wire in the San Diego.

Hronis Racing’s Higher Power (Medaglia d’Oro), a surprise runaway winner of last year’s Pacific Classic, tries to recapture that top form. Going turf to dirt for a 5 1/2-length score in the Del Mar meet centerpiece, the bay failed to build on that run when a distant third in both the GI Awesome Again S. and GI Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic before finishing last as the favorite in the GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational S. Bouncing back a bit to be runner-up in the Gold Cup, he proved no match for the top pair in the San Diego, finishing 6 1/4 lengths back in third.

Sharp Samurai (First Samurai), a multiple graded stakes winner on turf, will make his first dirt start since running sixth in a Santa Anita optional claimer in March of 2017. He was last seen finishing a close runner-up in the GII Eddie Read S. on the local lawn July 26.

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Up-And-Comers Look For Breakthrough in Torrey Pines

An unproven but potential-laden field of seven will do battle early on Saturday’s blockbuster card at Del Mar in the GIII Torrey Pines S. going a mile over the main track.

Pam and Martin Wygod’s Secret Keeper (Into Mischief) looks to remain unbeaten in her two-turn bow. Unveiled going 5 1/2 furlongs May 25 at Santa Anita, the homebred reeled in an odds-on Bob Baffert firster to triumph going away before stretching out a furlong and scoring in similar fashion over Baffert’s re-opposing pair of Merneith (American Pharaoh) and Provocation (Into Mischief) here July 25.

Alice Bamford and Michael Tabor’s Harvest Moon (Uncle Mo) will try to make it three in a row for Simon Callaghan. Third when unveiled going a grassy mile June 12 at Santa Anita, the bay moved to the dirt to graduate July 3 at Los Alamitos and repeated sharply by 4 1/4 lengths in a track-and-trip optional claimer July 27.

‘TDN Rising Star’ Aurelia Garland (Constitution) ships in for trainer Rodolphe Brisset. A dominant first-out victress under the tutelage of Wesley Ward last May, the chestnut was off a year and two weeks before returning with a late-running third in a Churchill optional claimer May 16. Filling the same slot at 4-5 in her two-turn debut there June 11, she finished second last out in the GIII Iowa Oaks July 5 at Prairie Meadows.

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San Clemente Top Three Meet Euro Pair in Del Mar Oaks

The first three finishers from the local GII San Clemente S. will reconvene in Saturday’s GI Del Mar Oaks with a pair of Group winners from Europe shipping in to spice things up in the nine-furlong test for 3-year-old turf fillies.

Of the local hopes, San Clemente victress Laura’s Light (Constitution) figures to take the most play as she tries to make it six wins in eight career outings. A debut winner sprinting on the all-weather at Golden Gate last November, the bay was privately purchased by Gary Barber out of that effort and transferred to Peter Miller’s barn. Runner-up at 24-1 in the GIII Jimmy Durante S., she annexed the Blue Norther S. and GIII Sweet Life S. over the winter at Santa Anita before fading to fourth at odds-on in the Bourbonette Oaks Mar. 14 at Turfway. Back on turf in the GIII Honeymoon S. going this distance May 30 in Arcadia, she tracked a runoff leader from second, overtook that one in the stretch and held gamely late to prevail before tracking a fast pace and triumphing by three-quarters of a length last out.

Attempting to reel her in that day were Guitty (Fr) (Dunkerque {Fr}) and Warren’s Showtime (Clubhouse Ride). The former, who won her first two American starts after shipping in from her native lane, was off the board in four straight efforts before completing the exacta at 19-1 in the San Clemente. The latter, victress of the Surfer Girl S. and China Doll S. going a mile on the Santa Anita lawn, added the California-bred Melair S. over dirt before closing from last to finish 1 1/4 lengths behind Laura’s Light.

Miss Extra (Fr) (Masterstroke) took five tries to get off the mark in her home country before doing so at 11-1 against males May 11 at Longchamp. Repeating in the Prix de Lilas at Deauville 20 days later, the bay made it three in a row in the G2 Prix de Sandringham June 19 at Chantilly before finding Group 1 waters a bit too deep when ninth in the Prix de Diane Longines there July 5.

The progressive Neige Blanche (Fr) (Anodin {Ire}) also makes her Stateside bow. Graduating second out over the boys on Marseille’s synthetic surface last November, she repeated in an allowance there Dec. 26 and was third two starts later in her turf debut, the Prix Caravelle May 11 at Toulouse. Stepping into Group company, she captured the G3 Prix Cleopatre at 10-1 going 1 3/8 miles over soft ground last out June 6 at Lyon-Parilly.

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Work All Week, The Pizza Man Among New Arrivals At Old Friends Retirement Farm

This week, Old Friends, the Thoroughbred Retirement Farm in Georgetown, KY, welcomed three new retirees, stakes winner all.

Work All Week, a seven-time stakes winner, was owned and bred by Richard and Karen Papiese and campaigned by trainer Roger Brueggemann. The Illinois-bred son of City Zip was the champion male sprinter of 2014 after capturing the 2014 GR 1 Xpressbet Breeders' Cup Sprint. Work all Week was retired from racing in 2015 at the age of six due to a stress fracture in his right knee with a 13-4-1 record from 19 starts and earnings of $1,511,071. In addition to his Eclipse Award as outstanding male sprinter, Work All Week is a two-time Illinois Horse of the Year.

The Pizza Man, another star for Papiese and Brueggemann, is a multiple GR1 winner. By English Channel out of the Lear Fan mare I Can Fan Fan, The Pizza Man is the only Illinois bred to claim victory in both the GR1 Arlington Million (2015) and the GR1 Northern Dancer Turf Stakes (2016). He retired from racing in 2017 at the age of eight after being diagnosed with a chip in his left front ankle. He closed his career with 17 wins from his 36 starts and earnings of 2,158,941. Since retiring the Pizza Man enjoyed a second career as a stable pony for his former trainer.

Syndergaard, owned by the partnership of Eric Fein, Christopher McKenna, Harris Fein, Guri Singh, and Jerry Walia, was named after New York Mets pitcher Noah Syndergaard. The New York-bred son of Majesticperfection – Magic Belle, Magical Thinking, was a dazzling 2-year-old under the tutelage of trainer Todd Pletcher, cinching his maiden outing at Saratoga and going on to capture the Funny Cide Stakes over the same oval. That same year he was second in the GR1 Champagne, which led to a start in the 2016 GR1 Sentient Jet Breeders' Cup Juvenile, where he ended up 5th. He later moved to the barn of trainer John P. Terranova II. This year, the chestnut gelding was retired after his last start June 6 at Belmont Park with 17 Starts, 3 Wins, 4 places, 2 shows and earnings: $477, 269.

“We are absolutely thrilled,” said Old Friends President Michael Blowen. “I wish everyone could see the absolute joy expressed by The Pizza Man and Work All Week as they celebrate in their paddock. And Syndergaard is just gorgeous. Thanks to their owners for trusting us and their fans for all their support.”

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