Del Mar | Horse Racing Free Tips

Maximum Security Just Gets Up in Dramatic San Diego Return

It’s never easy being the hunted.

Making his first start since the federal indictment of his former trainer Jason Servis and sent out for the first time by trainer Bob Baffert, Eclipse Award winner Maximum Security (New Year’s Day) looked destined for defeat in Saturday’s GII San Diego H. But the 4-year-old, last seen winning the $20-million Saudi Cup nearly five months ago, overcame some aggressive race riding and perhaps some ring-rustiness to grab Midcourt (Midnight Lute) to take it by a nostril.

Given a positive ride from the gates by Abel Cedillo, subbing for Luis Saez, Maximum Security led passing under the wire, but Victor Espinoza on Midcourt \was clearly intent on making the lead and Cedillo allowed him to do so rounding the turn. No sooner had that happened when Flavien Prat aboard Higher Power (Medaglia d’Oro) decided to up the ante, sending his mount quickly up outside of the favorite to put him in a pocket at the six-furlong peg. Steadied at that point, Maximum Security lost a couple of lengths and was ultimately steered into the clear, but he was under a ride with fully four furlongs to race, looking to have it all to do. Nevertheless, Maximum Security continued to grind away and was more or less on even terms as they hit the top of the lane. It looked as if he might edge clear, but Midcourt–in receipt of five pounds–boxed on gamely inside, only to be on the wrong end of the photo finish.

Winner of the GI Florida Derby and GI Haskell Invitational S. either side of his GI Kentucky Derby demotion, Maximum Security missed the GI Travers S. and GI Pennsylvania Derby, but would go on to defeat older rivals in the GIII Bold Ruler H. and in the GI Cigar Mile H., earning him the Eclipse. Connections elected to skip the GI Pegasus World Cup in January in favor of the Saudi Cup and he proved equal to the task, calling upon his determination to account for another Midnight Lute offspring–namely, champion Midnight Bisou–by three-parts of a length.

Maximum Security’s dam was acquired by Gary and Mary West for $80,000 in foal to Pioneerof the Nile at Keeneland November in 2014 and was sold to Korean interests for $11,000 carrying a full-sibling to the then unraced 2-year-old Maximum Security, who would make a victorious debut in a maiden $16,000 claimer about six weeks later. Lil Indy and her weanling Korean-bred full-sister to Maximum Security were acquired and returned to the U.S. and prepared for last year’s Keeneland November sale. Lil Indy fetched $1.85 million in foal to Quality Road, while the weanling was bought back on a bid of $190,000. Lil Indy, a half-sister to MGISW Flat Out (Flatter), produced a colt by Quality Road Apr. 23.

Saturday, Del Mar
SAN DIEGO H.-GII, $150,000, Del Mar, 7-25, 3yo/up, 1 1/16m, 1:44.54, ft.
1–MAXIMUM SECURITY, 127, c, 4, by New Year’s Day</strong
                1st Dam: Lil Indy, by Anasheed
                2nd Dam: Cresta Lil, by Cresta Rider
                3rd Dam: Rugosa, by Double Jay</strong
O-Gary & Mary West, Mrs. John Magnier, Michael B. Tabor &
Derrick Smith; B-Gary & Mary West Stables Inc. (KY); T-Bob
Baffert; J-Abel Cedillo. $90,000. Lifetime Record: Ch. 3yo
Colt & MGISW-US, 11-9-1-0, $11,891,900.
Werk Nick Rating: A.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Midcourt, 122, g, 5, Midnight Lute–Mayo On the Side, by
French Deputy. ($450,000 Ylg ’16 KEESEP). O-C R K Stable LLC;
B-Dixiana Farms LLC (KY); T-John A. Shirreffs. $30,000
3–Higher Power, 122, h, 5, Medaglia d’Oro–Alternate, by
Seattle Slew. ($250,000 4yo ’19 KEEAPR). O-Hronis Racing LLC;
B-Pin Oak Stud, LLC (KY); T-John W. Sadler. $18,000.
Margins: NO, 6 1/4, 1 1/4. Odds: 0.40, 6.00, 3.50.
Also Ran: Ax Man, Combatant. Scratched: Sharp Samurai
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.

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Del Mar Cards Special Monday Racing Program As COVID-19 Make-Up Day

With the exceptions of Labor Day Mondays, racing on the first day of the week hasn't happened at Del Mar in many moons. In fact, the last time Monday programs were par for the course was when the seaside track used to race six days a week, a situation last realized in 2008.

But this coming Monday racing will be back on the front burner featuring a 10-race card. And track officials will be interested to see how fans across the country respond to it at their mutuel windows — at satellites or online. The sense is, with Del Mar being the “big dog” among all tracks running that day, it might prove very noteworthy in the counting house.

Del Mar is racing this Monday as a “make up” for one of the three days lost last weekend to jockey woes with the COVID-19 pandemic. The other two “missing” days are expected to be made up further along in the summer season that goes forward to Labor Day Monday, September 7.

This Monday approximately a dozen other “major” tracks across the country will be in action. On an average weekend at this time of year, there'd be half as many more of those tracks doing business and competing for the wagering dollars. Obviously, less competition could prove beneficial. How much so is uncertain, but the Del Mar folks ought to have a pretty good idea after the last race is run Monday afternoon.

The feature race Monday is an allowance test for 3-year-olds and up at a mile on the grass course that has drawn seven horses. The morning line favorite in the turfer is Keith Brackpool's Mesut, who is trained by Carla Gaines and will be ridden by the track's leading rider, Umberto Rispoli.

First post Monday, as it is on all racing cards at the shore track this summer, is 2 p.m.

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Shirreffs Sends Honor A.P. Out For ‘Practice’ Before Shared Belief Stakes

Santa Anita Derby winner Honor A.P. led a group of talented 3-year-olds, several with Kentucky Derby potential, in workouts Saturday morning at Del Mar. Honor A.P. and two Bob Baffert trainees, Cezanne and Thousand Words, were undergoing their final major exercise for next Saturday's $100,000 Shared Belief Stakes, which has qualifying points for the Kentucky Derby.

The COVID-19 outbreak forced the Run for the Roses to be rescheduled from its traditional first Saturday in May spot to the first Saturday in September.

Honor A.P., trained by John Shirreffs for the C R K Stable of Lee and Susan Searing, went after the second track renovation break, arriving around 8 a.m. under exercise rider Francisco Alvarado. The son of Honor Code worked with 4-year-old winner Takeo, spotting his stablemate a four-length head start before drawing even at the head of the stretch and pulling away.

Del Mar clockers had Honor A.P. with interim fractions of :24.80, :36.60, and an official five-eighths in 1:01.20 while galloping out to six furlongs in 1:14.20.

“From my angle he went 11 (seconds) and change or 12 the last eighth,” Shirreffs commented via text. “The work was practice.”

Unbeaten (2-for-2) Cezanne and Thousand Words, winner of the Grade II Los Alamitos Futurity in December and Grade III Robert B. Lewis in February, worked side-by-side for six furlongs in 1:13.80.

Hollywood Gold Cup winner Improbable, being targeted for the Whitney Stakes at Saratoga a week away, was clocked in 1:25.80 in a work slightly compromised when another horse ran loose and alarm sirens were sounded.

“The track I think is a little slow today, but I'm pleased with all of them,” Baffert said. “The loose horse screwed up Improbable's work, but he'll be all right.”

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Jon Kelly Dies; Longtime Horse Owner, Del Mar Thoroughbred Club Board Member

Jon S. Kelly, a native Californian who conquered many business worlds and found a passionate love in horse racing, died Saturday morning at his farm known as Tres Palomas in Rancho Santa Fe, Calif., from the effects of a cancer he'd fought for several years. He had turned 84 on Friday.

Kelly had been in hospice care and had family members on hand, including his wife Sarah, when he passed.

Kelly was born in Berkeley, was schooled in the east and at UC Berkeley and showed an affinity for business early on in his professional career. He went into the broadcasting business, established the Kelly Broadcasting Company and wound up owning and operating TV stations in Sacramento and Seattle. Additionally, he founded and ran the Summit Broadcasting Radio Company.

He was also a banker who founded the River City Bank in Sacramento. Further, he was a highly successful real estate executive with multiple projects in Northern California.

Besides his family, his great love in life was Thoroughbred racing and he'd been a horse owner since the early 1960s. Over the years he'd raced hundreds of horses around the world in England, Ireland, Australia and the United States. His best horse was Borrego, now a stallion in South America and the winner of the 2005 edition of Del Mar's $1-million Pacific Classic.

Kelly had been a member of the board of directors of the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club since 2008. He was also a member of The Jockey Club. His trainers included Bob Baffert and Richard Mandella in the U.S., Gai Waterhouse in Australia and Jessie Harrington in Ireland. In 2018, he headed a syndicate that purchased a yearling colt at the famed Magic Millions Sale in Australia for a near-record $2 million.

He was on multiple business boards of directors and guided and funded many other charity-oriented groups. He was an official with Big Brothers of America and the Boy Scouts of America.

“He was quite a guy,” said Dr. Greg Ferraro, chairman of the California Horse Racing Board and a longtime Kelly friend. “He could make anyone laugh. He always lifted your spirits.”

Ferraro told of business associates Kelly had worked with 30 and 40 years ago writing him letters recently sending thanks for his council and guidance and how it had shaped their careers and lives. He spoke personally of Kelly sending him to a Louisville hospital for a life-saving operation, then make a huge donation to the hospital in Ferraro's name.

“He didn't make it in his name, which he should have,” said Ferraro, “but that was John. He did so many good things for so many people and he never bragged or looked for credit. He just was a good person who did good things. He was special.”

He is survived by his wife and six children, as well as many grandchildren.

Those wishing to make a donation in his name are encouraged to do so at two of his favorite projects – the Center for Equine Health at the UC Davis School for Veterinary Medicine or the Gregson Foundation, which services backstretch workers and their families.

At his request, there will be no services.

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