The filly was fittingly bred by Gary and Mary West, who also bred and raced Maximum Security, an earner of over $12 million on the track with wins including the GI Florida Derby, GI Haskell Invitational, GI Cigar Mile H., inaugural Saudi Cup and GI Pacific Classic.

“She's outstanding. She's a big strong foal and is very well put together, I'm delighted with her. We have a lot of Maximum Security foals on the way and if they all look like this we'll be very happy,” said Des Ryan of Dell Ridge Farm.

The post Maximum Security Sires First Foal appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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The Wests had acquired a significant number of mares in past years to support their colts who were going off to stud.

“We just can't keep them all,” said racing and bloodstock advisor Ben Glass. “It's amazing how quickly we accumulated broodmares. We're up to 100, and we only try to have 50-60. You just have to move those mares down the line. It's a tough decision. For all we know, we're selling the dam of another Grade I winner.”

The Wests have been longtime patrons of Keeneland, acquiring many of their stand-out runners at the September yearling sale, including American Freedom, Game Winner and West Coast. They purchased Maximum Security's GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile-winning sire New Year's Day for $425,000 at KEESEP '12, and his dam Lil Indy (Anasheed) for $80,000 at the 2014 Keeneland January sale while in foal to Pioneerof the Nile.

“We have a good working relationship with Keeneland,” Glass said. “They have always done a good job for us. There is a buyer there for every mare.”

Among the Paramount-consigned West offerings at Keeneland November will be Sweet Sweet Annie (Curlin, hip 684), a daughter of MSW Song for Annie (Sultry Song) and half to MSW/MGSP Successful Song (Successful Appeal) offered in foal to West Coast; 3-year-old Applaud (Medaglia d'Oro, hip 751), also in foal to West Coast; and Media Circus (Mineshaft, hip 948), another 3-year-old who hails from the deep female family of Olympio, Tapizar, etc.

“Sweet Sweet Annie is a fine mare with good size and is from a hell of a family,” Paramount's Pat Costello said. “Applaud is a lovely individual from a real deep family that goes back to Hold That Tiger and Editor's Note. Media Circus is also another nice mare, and she is from the family of Tapizar.”

Keeneland Vice President of Sales Tony Lacy said, “The Wests are passionate Thoroughbred owners and breeders, who have been very loyal patrons of Keeneland and have realized some of their greatest triumphs in racing thanks to horses they acquired here. We are grateful for the opportunity to annually offer mares from such a successful operation as an added attraction of the November Sale.”

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“It is with deep sadness I have to announce the passing of Lil Indy, the dam of Maximum Security,” Lyon wrote in her post. “She died foaling a beautiful Curlin filly Saturday evening. While she graced Summer Wind Farm for a far too short time, she captured our hearts with her sweet demeanor and beautiful spirit. She will always remain in our hearts. Godspeed Lil Indy, you were loved here.”

The 14-year-old daughter of Anasheed died having her second foal for the Summer Wind operation, following a Quality Road colt born in 2020 named Qualified.

Lil Indy was purchased by Summer Wind Farm for $1.85 million at the 2019 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale, near the end of what would be Maximum Security's championship 3-year-old campaign. A year earlier, at the same sale, she sold to Korean breeding interests for $11,000.

At the time she was sold to Korea, the mare had an unremarkable resume. She'd produced two winners from three runners for breeders Gary and Mary West, but none had earned any black type. The Wests had purchased Lil Indy, pregnant for the first time to Pioneerof the Nile, for $80,000 at the 2014 Keeneland January Horses of All Ages Sale.

Within a few months after the 2018 transaction and the mare's export, West homebred Maximum Security, by New Year's Day, was on top of his division with a win in the Grade 1 Florida Derby. He'd go on to win the G1 Haskell Stakes and Cigar Handicap, and the G3 Bold Ruler Handicap, during the remainder of his 3-year-old campaign, and he famously was disqualified from first to 17th for interference in that year's Kentucky Derby.

Meanwhile, Lil Indy foaled out a full-sister to Maximum Security while she was in Korea, and the pair were brought back stateside to test the commercial waters after the success of the dam's most famous foal.

It was an incredible turnaround for Lil Indy, who sold as a yearling for $2,200 at the 2008 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Eastern Fall Yearling Sale. She raced on the east coast over the course of her 19 career starts, graduating in a Delaware Park maiden claiming race in her eighth start, and later taking a claiming race at Penn National.

The post Lil Indy, Dam Of Maximum Security, Dies At Age 14 appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Today we sat down with Adrian Wallace to discuss their two first-season sires.

Maximum Security (New Year’s Day), $20,000

Very few racehorses have had a rollercoaster of a career comparable to that of Maximum Security’s.

So when asked if there was one thing that people should remember about the frequent headliner, Wallace said, “The thing to remember most about Maximum Security was that he never gave up. He was tenacious. Every race he ran, you never knew when the bottom was going to come. And almost invariably, he was the horse that came out the victor. We saw it in a whole host of great races at three and four. He was tough, he was tenacious and he was dominant.”

A late May foal and homebred for Gary and Mary West, Maximum Security won on debut at two in a maiden claimer at Gulfstream before taking the 3-year-old male division by storm last year, winning the GI Florida Derby, GI Haskell Invitational S., GIII Bold Ruler H., GI Cigar Mile H. and of course, crossing the wire first in the GI Kentucky Derby.

“I think what makes the horse unique is that he’s so, so tough,” Wallace said. “He’s a true rags-to-riches story. It’s no secret that he started in the basement ranks of racing and ascended to the hierarchies.”

After winning his division’s Eclipse Award, Maximum Security made his 4-year-old debut a winning one as he crossed the globe for the inaugural running of the Saudi Cup. Transferred to the barn of Bob Baffert soon after, the bay continued the winning streak in the GII San Diego H. and GI Pacific Classic S. But despite the less-than-ideal circumstances surrounding his transfer during his 4-year-old season, Wallace said he believes there is no denying the colt’s dominating campaign.

“Nobody will ever forget that day in Saudi Arabia when Maximum Security secured the inaugural running of the Saudi Cup against what can only be described as an absolute heroine of a mare in Midnight Bisou (Midnight Lute),” Wallace said. “That stretch drive looked like it was never going to end, but after a battle with her he managed to prevail and then, after such an arduous trip to Saudi Arabia, come back to California under the tutelage of Bob Baffert to win the Pacific Classic, which is a sire-making race.”

Maximum Security retired this year with earnings of almost $12.5 million and ran in the money in all but two of his 14 career starts.

“When you look at his body of work, whether it’s four Grade Is or five Grade Is, this horse was utterly, utterly dominant,” Wallace said. “This horse took his tracks with him all over the world. He danced every dance and is an absolute champion in our eyes, and most people’s eyes. I think he’s a horse whose future is very, very bright.”

A son of 2013 GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner New Year’s Day (Street Cry {Ire}), Maximum Security is out of the winning mare Lil Indy (Anasheed), who sold for $1.85 million at last year’s Keeneland November Sale. The mare is a half-sister to GI winner and stakes-producing sire Flat Out (Flatter), as well as stakes winner Our Best Man (Runaway Groom).

“He’s got a deep pedigree,” Wallace said. “At $20,000 dollars, he really does provide great value and a great record for a lot of breeders in 2021.”

Wallace spoke on what he’s heard from the new stallion’s visiting breeders.

“He’s a lovely, easy mover with a great neck and shoulder and a lovely hip,” he said. “People have been struck by how good of a mover he is when they’ve come to see him. He’s a horse that looks like he’s almost a sprinter type. A lot of people have commented that it’s amazing that the horse was able to carry his distance as far as he did. So he looks like a horse that’s going to put in quite a lot of speed in his mares. Being a son of a Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner, you’d expect a fair amount of precocity. I think physically, he will add a lot of precociousness to his stock.”

Echo Town (Speightstown), $10,000

Echo Town, a ‘TDN Rising Star’ and this year’s winner of the GI H. Allen Jerkens S., will stand his first season for $10,000.

With the ongoing success Munnings has displayed at stud in the past years, led most recently by a trio of Grade II-winning sophomore fillies in Venetian Harbor, Bonny South and Finite, Ashford was more than willing to add another son of Speightstown to their roster.

In fact, Wallace notes that Echo Town has a one-up on Munnings as he kicks off his stud career.

“Echo Town achieved what Munnings couldn’t do,” he said. “Echo Town is a Grade I winner, whereas Munnings himself placed in Grade Is. It’s no word of lie to say Speightstown is probably one of the most sought-after stallions in the world. Four sons of Speightstown, including Munnings, have sired Grade I winners, so he’s proving himself to be a sire of sires as well.”

Wallace added that Echo Town fits the bill physically as well.

“Echo Town is a horse that’s going to appeal to a lot of breeders,” he said. “Physically, he’s going to be very easy to breed to and suit a wide array of broodmares. He is all quality-a lovely head, great neck and shoulder to him. He’s a very easy mover. He’s a horse that’s medium sized, not too big, but he’s going to push enough size into a mare and he’s going to put a lot of quality into them.”

The three-year-old bay is out of the Menifee mare Letgomyecho, winner of the GII Forward Gal S. He is a half-brother to three other stakes horses, including GIII Gotham S. winner J Boys Echo (Mineshaft) and GIII-placed Unbridled Outlaw (Unbridled’s Song).

Wallace said the plan will be to draw up Echo Town’s book as reflective of what has already proven successful for the sire line.

“Basically, what we’re going to try to do is get him to those bloodlines with which Speightstown and Munnings have been successful. Munnings has been very successful with daughters of Tapit in siring Bonnie South and Finite. Echo Town will suit A.P Indy-line and Tapit-line mares, as well as mares from the Deputy Minister line. Pedigree-wise, he fits a wide array of broodmares.”

A $100,000 Keeneland September purchase for L&N Racing, Echo Town earned his ‘Rising Star’ badge at first asking this year, breaking his maiden by 2 ½ lengths going six furlongs at Fair Grounds for Steve Asmussen.

After adding two more wins at Oaklawn Park and Churchill Downs and finishing a close second in the Bachelor S., Echo Town ran second to No Parole (Violence) upon his graded stakes debut in the GI Woody Stephens S.

He followed that effort by defeating the same rival along with several other top graded stakes contenders in the GI H. Allen Jerkens Memorial S. Presented by Runhappy.

“The Allen Jerkens, being a stallion-making race in itself having produced the likes of Tale of the Cat, Hard Spun and More Than Ready, is obviously a very prestigious race to win at Saratoga,” Wallace said. “He showed a lot of speed that day, and when push came to shove at the top of the stretch, there was no doubt really which horse was going to win. He scooted clear to win by almost four lengths with a good time. He was all speed and brilliance.”

Wallace said that Echo Town has had a positive reception from breeders already.

“All the breeders that have come to see him have liked him,” he said. “He’s priced at $10,000, which I think for a lot of breeders if you’re looking at sons of Speightstown, given Munnings’ recent success and the fact that he is now fully booked, if you’re looking at that line, I think Echo Town is the right way to go.”

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In contrast, McPeek purchased Swiss Skydiver for owner Peter J. Callahan for just $35,000 at the Keeneland September sale. Her sire Daredevil had entered stud at WinStar in 2016 for $12,500, and by the time she sold in the ring, he was down to $7,500. Last November, with his first runners only two, WinStar sold Daredevil (along with Derby winner Super Saver {Maria’s Mon}, sire of Runhappy) to The Turkish Jockey Club after completing just four years at stud at the Kentucky nursery.

What all of this points out, of course, is that you can never tell with any precision the price point from where a good sire or horse will come. Into Mischief, speaking of the devil, also started off for $12,500 at Spendthrift and was down to $7,500 before his runners took off, and racing history is full of examples of inexpensive yearlings that made good. Seattle Slew was a $17,500 yearling, Zenyatta cost $60,000, and Curlin made $57,000 on a bid from none other than McPeek.

However, the recent phenomenon of selling young stallions abroad before they’ve had a chance to prove themselves is directly a result of the commercialization of the industry, specifically in Kentucky. Those stallions in their third and fourth years at stud are particularly vulnerable because their patronage drops off precipitously in many cases, and here’s why: commercial breeders don’t like to assume the risks of selling yearlings from a stallion’s third and fourth crops, because the stallion’s oldest foals will be three and four and fully exposed on the racetrack by the time those yearlings sell. If the stallion isn’t successful, breeders will get punished in the sales ring.

By the way, this can apply to a stallion in his second year at stud as well, and Runhappy is the big example this year. His 2020 yearlings to date have averaged $47,270 versus $222,625 for his first-crop yearlings last year. Why? Because at this writing, he’s been represented by only four 2-year-old winners and no stakes horses.

Runhappy may very well turn things around by the end of the year and have success with his 3-year-olds like Daredevil, but that’s moot to the commercial yearling sellers who drive the stallion marketplace. As they’ve increased in numbers and scale, they’ve increasingly backed “risk-free” first-year horses or elite sires at the top end of the marketplace, leaving strings of crumbling books in their wake.

By the way, it’s primarily for this reason that The Jockey Club intervened with its 140-mare cap rule, which begins with foals of 2020. The thinking was that by limiting big books, overflow mares will go to younger horses in their third and fourth years or to mid-level proven horses, but that’s not going to happen with an industry dominated by commercial breeders, is it? What it likely will lead to is a greater number of sires entering stud–more first-crop sires on the front end to satisfy insatiable demand–but it’s not going to address the existing back-end issues of crops two to four, meaning we’re likely to see even more departures from Kentucky of young horses in the future.

Daredevil Syndrome

The Daredevil saga is a bit of deja vu for WinStar. The farm had sold GI Florida Derby winner Take Charge Indy (A.P. Indy) to the Korea Racing Authority in November of 2016 after completing only three years at stud. By 2018, Take Charge Indy’s first-crop 3-year-olds included several notable runners on the Triple Crown trail, such as GII Rebel S. winner Long Range Toddy and GII Louisiana Derby winner Noble Indy, and GIII Forward Gal S. winner Take Charge Paula among a total of seven black-type winners.

WinStar exercised a clause in the sale of Take Charge Indy that allowed it to repurchase the horse and stand him again at WinStar in 2020, but Elliott Walden, president and CEO at WinStar, said on Tuesday that no such mechanism for repurchase existed in the sale of Daredevil. On the question of whether WinStar was pursuing a deal to bring Daredevil back, Walden was noncommittal.

Certainly, there’s a case to be made for bringing Daredevil back. For one, he was a 2-year-old Grade I winner of the Champagne S., trained by stallion-making trainer Todd Pletcher at that. He’s also been the first son of WinStar’s excellent sire and former Pletcher trainee More Than Ready to show life as a stallion in North America. Remember, Swiss Skydiver, Preakness aside, also won the GI Alabama S. and is odds-on to be named the champion 3-year-old filly.

To date, Daredevil is the sire of four black-type winners, and Swiss Skydiver isn’t his only top-level winner: Shedaresthedevil defeated Swiss Skydiver and the outstanding Into Mischief filly Gamine in the GI Kentucky Oaks. And Daredevil also is represented by the talented 2-year-old filly Esplanande, a stakes winner of three of four starts who was second in the GI Spinaway S. last month.

WinStar bred both Swiss Skydiver and Shedaresthedevil and is co-breeder and co-owner of Esplanande, but Walden will be the first to admit that he never expected Daredevil to do what he’s done. Furthermore, Walden noted that Daredevil “bred only 21 mares in 2019,” which meant that 2020 was projected to be a bigger struggle. Swiss Skydiver was only a maiden special weight winner and Shedaresthedevil only a graded-placed winner last year, and Daredevil was barely visible with a magnifying glass on freshman sire lists, much as Runhappy is now. In contrast, Take Charge Indy had finished second to Violence on the first-crop list of 2017, and it was easier to project improvement from his runners because the stallion himself was a Grade I winner at three and a son of late-developing A.P. Indy. The Daredevils were expected to make an impression at two based on the stallion’s own race record and his sire’s production history of precocious runners, but they didn’t.

To further complicate matters, the Daredevils as a group weren’t particularly fetching physical specimens, more just average types. Owner-breeder Chuck Fipke had one knockout colt that he bought back for $375,000 at the Keeneland sale in 2018, but the stallion’s first-crop yearling average that year was $34,811 for 56 sold–the average of what Swiss Skydiver brought.

The case of Daredevil isn’t isolated but rather the example of a syndrome. Gary and Mary West went through this with New Year’s Day (Street Cry {Ire}), the sire of their champion Maximum Security and Grade l winner Fighting Mad–both homebreds from the stallion’s second crop. Like Daredevil and Into Mischief, New Year’s Day was a Grade I winner at two who entered stud for a $12,500 fee. He was sold to Brazilian breeders after five seasons at stud because no one was breeding to him after his first few years except for the Wests, and after the success of Maximum Security, he was purchased by Shadai to stand in Japan.

There are other examples–California Chrome is a bigger name sold last November to Japan after three seasons–and depending on where you stand, it could be unfortunate or not. Most stallions are not going to make it, and a secondary market from Turkey, Korea, Japan, or South America is welcome relief for stallion investors.

But why this happens should not surprise anyone anymore. Unless more breeders step up to back stallions for four or five years and race the horses they produce, stallions will continue to become disposable after a few years at stud. That’s how this market works.

Sid Fernando is president and CEO of Werk Thoroughbred Consultants, Inc., originator of the Werk Nick Rating and eNicks.

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Saez, a 28-year-old native of Panama City, has ridden the four-year-old son of New Year's Day in seven of his 12 career races, crossing the wire first six times and second in the Pegasus at Monmouth in June 2019.

Abel Cedillo had ridden Maximum Security in his last two races, winning both, the San Diego Handicap and the Grade I Pacific Classic.

Maximum Security was disqualified from victory two times with Saez aboard, first in the Saudi Cup Feb. 29 after which Saudi officials withheld distribution of $20 million in purse money pending investigation of his trainer at that time, Jason Servis, and others in the United States. The bay colt also was disqualified from first for a riding infraction at the top of the stretch in last year's Kentucky Derby.

Saez also will ride the maiden Spielberg in the American Pharoah Stakes for Baffert. Saez is fourth nationally in purse earnings this year with more than $10 million and second to Irad Ortiz Jr. in victories, 234 to 202.

The post Luis Saez Returns To Partner Maximum Security In Saturday’s Awesome Again appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Enforceable is therefore expected to earn a spot in the starting gate for the classic, delayed by COVID-19 to Sept. 5.

The royally-bred Enforceable is a full brother to multiple graded stakes-winner Mohaymen and half-brother to Grade 1 winner New Year's Day, and races for owner John Oxley. A late-closing type, the colt's other starts in 2020 include a win in the G3 Lecomte (Jan. 18), a second in the G2 Risen Star (Feb. 15), and a fifth in the G2 Louisiana Derby (Mar. 21).

Bred in Kentucky by Clearsky Farms, Enforceable's total earnings stand at $397,150 with a record of 2-2-2 from 10 starts. He was a $775,000 RNA at the Keeneland September yearling sale.

His most recent workout was a five-furlong move at Churchill in 1:02.60 on Aug. 1. Enforceable, under jockey Declan Carroll, started about two lengths behind his stablemate and worked through fractions of :12.80, :25.60 and :38.40. Enforceable finished about a half-length to the good at the wire but continued in front through a six-furlong gallop out of 1:15.80 and finished his work with a seven-furlong time of 1:29.60.

“I was very happy with how he worked this morning,” said 21-year-old Carroll, whose father, David, oversees Casse's Churchill Downs string. “He did everything in stride. I was just the pilot.”

Casse was not in town for the work but reported via text following watching a short video of his stretch run, “I really like what I'm seeing.”

Read more at The Canadian Press.

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:23.15 and :46.55 before being asked to kick away from her competition heading for home. Defending champion Ollie’s Candy (Candy Ride {Arg}) and MGISW Ce Ce (Elusive Quality) were scrubbed on to try and reel in the leader approaching the stretch, but Fighting Mad began to open up at the head of the lane as Ce Ce was the first to capitulate. Ollie’s Candy kept on gamely to cut things close late, but Fighting Mad found the wire with a half-length to spare. Ce Ce held on for a distant third, while the accomplished Hard Not to Love (Hard Spun) never reached contention and brought up the rear.

“I had the same instructions today that I had yesterday [for Thousand Words {Pioneerof the Nile} in the Shared Belief]–get her out of there and see if you can get to the front,” Cedillo said. “She really broke sharply and wanted to go right away. I got her to relax some on the backside, then she went right on with it. She’s just an amazing filly.”

Sunday, Del Mar
CLEMENT L. HIRSCH S.-GI, $250,500, Del Mar, 8-2, 3yo/up, f/m, 1 1/16m, 1:43.46, ft.
1–FIGHTING MAD, 123, f, 4, by New Year’s Day
                1st Dam: Smokey’s Love, by Forestry
                2nd Dam: Smokey Mirage, by Holy Bull
                3rd Dam: Verbasle, by Slewpy
1ST GRADE I WIN. O-Gary & Mary West; B-Gary & Mary West
Stables Inc. (KY); T-Bob Baffert; J-Abel Cedillo. $150,000.
Lifetime Record: 8-5-1-0, $444,008. Werk Nick Rating: B+. 
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Ollie’s Candy, 123, m, 5, by Candy Ride (Arg)
                1st Dam: Afternoon Stroll, by Stroll
                2nd Dam: Gertie, by Danzatore
                3rd Dam: Granny Ruth, by Key to the Mint
($45,000 RNA Ylg ’16 KEESEP). O/B-Paul & Karen Eggert (KY);
T-John W. Sadler. $50,000.
3–Ce Ce, 125, f, 4, by Elusive Quality
                1st Dam: Miss Houdini, by Belong to Me
                2nd Dam: Magical Maiden, by Lord Avie
                3rd Dam: Gils Magic, by Magesterial
O/B-Bo Hirsch LLC (KY); T-Michael W. McCarthy. $30,000.
Margins: HF, 4 3/4, 3 1/4. Odds: 1.80, 3.40, 2.40.
Also Ran: Hang a Star, Dogtag, Hard Not to Love.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.

“I was a little bit worried about her because she was getting pretty warm in the paddock, but Abel knows her pretty well and he knows speed is her weapon,” Baffert said. “To look at her you wouldn’t think she could go [a distance], but when she started opening up, I figured he must know what he’s doing. Basically, she ran them off their feet. The way she acted in the paddock, she ran an incredible race. She was trembling and sweating and I was worried, but once the race started she was pretty serious. ”

A nose graduate on debut here in her lone juvenile start two years ago, Fighting Mad resurfaced at Churchill to take an allowance last April. She faded to seventh in Pimlico’s GIII Miss Preakness S. that May, and resurfaced back at Del Mar to be a close second in an optional claimer July 19. Fighting Mad’s first two-turn attempt resulted in an eight-length romp in the GIII Torrey Pines S. Aug. 17, but she was again sidelined after that. The bay crossed the wire fourth in Santa Anita’s six-furlong GIII Desert Stormer S. May 17 before being moved to fourth by the stewards, and belied 10-1 odds last time when running away with the GII Santa Maria S. in Arcadia May 21 over Hard Not to Love and Ce Ce and recent GIII Molly Pitcher S. scorer Horologist (Gemologist).

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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.

The post Maximum Security Just Gets Up in Dramatic San Diego Return appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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So, asking about the best horses Baffert had on hand for the Del Mar summer meeting was a logical conversation starter or extender.

“Well, I've got this horse Maximum Security …” Baffert said.

“Oh, I know THAT horse,” the barber exclaimed.

Maximum Security, the horse that crossed under the wire the apparent winner of the 2019 Kentucky Derby before an extensively-chronicled disqualification, the first in Derby history. The multi-million-dollar earner that, also in extensively-chronicled circumstances, was transferred in March to the care of Baffert.

Maximum Security, the 4-year-old son of New Year's Day who will make his first start for Baffert, and first in nearly five months, in Saturday's $150,000 San Diego Handicap at Del Mar.

Any trainer looks forward to a new horse in the stable and there are physical checks to be made upon arrival, which Maximum Security passed routinely. There was, however, one obstacle to overcome in the transition according to Baffert.

“Every trainer feeds a little differently and at first he was kind of a finicky eater when we got him,” Baffert said. “Which was strange, because he doesn't look like he ever missed a meal in his life. But once we got that worked out, he has been fine.

“He's very intelligent and around here he's been kind of quiet.”

Maximum Security had two works at Del Mar, one more than was originally planned after the race was delayed a week by COVID-19 positives in the jockey colony.

He covered five furlongs in :59.60 on July 11, fourth-fastest of 88 at the distance that day, and came back a week later – the original date of the San Diego – to work a bullet six furlongs in 1:11.60.

“He's a big, strong horse and I can't be happier with the way he's training,” Baffert said. “He trains like a really good horse.”

Maximum Security will be ridden for the first time by Del Mar-based Abel Cedillo. Luis Saez, aboard for the last seven starts, tested positive for COVID-19 two weeks ago at Keeneland and is subject to travel restrictions.

“When I got the word on Saez, I asked around about who was open.” Baffert related. “Some (jockey agents) said, 'If it's Maximum Security, maybe I could get open.' But I really didn't want to take anyone's rider.”

Trainer Mark Glatt had nominated the multiple-stakes winning 6-year-old gelding Sharp Samurai, a turf specialist, to both the San Diego on dirt and the Eddie Read Stakes the following day on grass. The obvious strategy: provide opportunity for Grade II honors on either surface and a way of avoiding Maximum Security.

“Bob thought that because Abel and Luis Saez have similar styles, Abel would be a good fit and was his first choice,” Cedillo's agent, Tom Knust, said. “I thought that was very complimentary of both Abel and Bob.

“We ride a lot for Mark Glatt and Sharp Samurai's owners (Red Baron Barn and Rancho Temescal). We told them we would hold the mount if they wanted to run in the San Diego. They were nice enough to say they didn't want Abel to miss having the opportunity to ride 'Maximum'.”

With Maximum Security committed to the San Diego, Cedillo – most recently aboard Sharp Samurai in a third-place effort in the American Stakes at Santa Anita on June 21 – was free to take the call from Baffert. Once, that is, Baffert got clearance from owner/breeders Gary and Mary West of Rancho Santa Fe and their partners.

“(Cedillo) is strong and aggressive,” Baffert said. “He won on Fighting Mad for Gary and Mary West, he's won other races for me and he seems like he can handle the pressure. I'm happy to have him.”

The victory by Cedillo for the West stable was in the Grade II $200,000 Santa Maria Stakes at Santa Anita on May 31.

Cedillo, a 31-year-old native of Guatemala, was a dominant presence in Northern California before making a successful transition to the Southern California circuit a year ago. He's been doing the due diligence for what could be career-boosting opportunity.

“I was very excited when (Knust) said I have a chance to ride this horse,” Cedillo said. “Right now, I'm watching the replays of all his races. It looks to me like I'll have to kind of stay busy on him, but I'm going to try to talk to Luis Saez in the next few days and, of course, I'll talk to Mr. Baffert and see what they say.”

Under normal circumstances, Cedillo's assignment would be a one-race replacement for the proven Saez. But these are not normal times, with COVID-19 protocols curtailing jockey travel. And, Baffert said, Maximum Security is staying put for the summer.

“It's a challenge. We've got this great horse and we've got this race as a prep for the (TVG) Pacific Classic,” Baffert said. Del Mar's signature race, the Grade I, $500,000 mile and a quarter is scheduled for Saturday, August 22.

Back when Quarter Horse racing was the name of Baffert's game, he had a good one named Gold Coast Express transferred to his stable.

“The first time he ran for me, I was so excited when I gave (jockey) Danny Cardoza a leg up I almost threw him over the horse,” Baffert said. Gold Coast Express won eight races in a row and was the 1986 World Champion.

Unlike most Del Mar stakes races, especially the ones for juveniles, the San Diego has not been good to Baffert. He's won it once (Fed Biz, 2014) and had a couple of seconds (Paynter, 2013, Dr. Dorr 2016). But there were a couple of nasty ones, too.

In 1998 he ran his Triple Crown star and champion Silver Charm in the San Diego at odds of 3-10. Alas, they had to send out the proverbial search party to find him at the end of that one. Then, even more uncomfortably, there was 2017.

Arrogate came into the San Diego as the No. 1 ranked Thoroughbred in world, having won the Breeders' Cup Classic, Pegasus World Cup and Dubai World Cup. Arrogate went off at odds of 1-20 but was never much of a factor and finished fourth, beaten 15 lengths, by the John Sadler-trained Accelerate.

“The track can be tricky. Some horses like it and some don't,” Baffert said. “Arrogate didn't. But this horse has worked well on it and I think he likes this track.

“I have a really good feeling about this horse and I really want him to run well. What he's gone through in his career is not his fault.”

The post Baffert Has ‘A Really Good Feeling’ About Maximum Security Ahead Of San Diego appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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