Asked about champion Maximum Security during Wednesday's media teleconference organized by the NTRA, Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert admitted to mixed feelings ahead of the colt's start in Saturday's Grade 2 San Diego Handicap at Del Mar.
“When I see him train, he trains like a really top horse,” Baffert said. “That's what I see, and I'm actually very excited, and a little bit nervous. I feel a little added pressure; there's a lot of pressure when you're around good horses.”
In his most recent start, the Gary and Mary West homebred won the inaugural $20 million Saudi Cup over Midnight Bisou. Since that effort at the end of February, the story around Maximum Security shifted from his historic Kentucky Derby disqualification in 2019 to the federal indictment of his former trainer, Jason Servis, on March 9, 2020.
Maximum Security was given a full medical evaluation and some down time, then transferred to Baffert's care in Southern California. His first gallop for Baffert was in late April; his first work not until June 1.
In his first start for Baffert, the 4-year-old son of New Year's Day will face a field of six others going 1 1/16 miles over Del Mar's main track. Maximum Security will break from post position five under a new rider, Abel Cedillo.
Regular jockey Luis Saez would be aboard the colt, except that he recently returned a positive test for COVID-19 and will be quarantined for the next two weeks. That left Baffert searching for a new rider, and his go-to big race jockey Mike Smith was already booked to be in New Jersey to ride Authentic in the Haskell.
Cedillo had committed to ride a horse for Mark Glatt in the San Diego, but Glatt let him out of the commitment when the trainer decided not to run his horse against Maximum Security.
“He sort of has the same kind of style [as Saez]; he's a strong rider, he's aggressive,” Baffert said of Cedillo. “He won on Fighting Mad for Gary and Mary West [the G2 Santa Maria on May 30 at Santa Anita], and he's won some races for me. He can handle pressure. I'm happy that I have him here.”
As is typical of Servis' style, Maximum Security had been used to turning in slow and steady morning workouts, more like two-minute licks than speedy breezes. Over the past six weeks, Baffert has focused on acclimating the colt to his style of training, working a bit faster, and his most recent breeze was a sharp five-furlong move in :59.60 on July 11 at Del Mar.
“To be around, he's a big, strong, beautiful horse,” Baffert said. “He's been doing everything well.”
Still, Baffert told the Paulick Report over the weekend that the colt may need a race, coming off the five-month break 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 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.
The San Diego Handicap field from the rail with jockeys and weights in parenthesis: Higher Power (TBD, 122); Ax Man (J.C. Diaz, Jr., 118); Midcourt (Juan Hernandez, 122); Dark Vader (Umberto Rispoli, 118); Maximum Security (Abel Cedillo, 127); Combatant (Drayden Van Dyke, 121) and Sharp Samurai (Edwin Maldonado, 119).
The post ‘Very Excited, And A Little Bit Nervous’: Baffert Readies Maximum Security For San Diego Handicap appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
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