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The Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia Takes Steps to Disqualify Maximum Security

Nearly four years after Maximum Security (New Year's Day) crossed the wire first in the inaugural Saudi Cup and six months after his trainer Jason Servis was given a four-year prison sentence for doping horses under his care, the Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia (JCSA) announced Tuesday that it has concluded its own investigation into the matter and will recommend to a Stewards Committee that it should sanction Servis and disqualify Maximum Security.

The final decision will be made by the Stewards Committee, but in the press release it issued Tuesday the JCSA made a strong case that Maximum Security should be disqualified and Servis should be sanctioned. At stake is the $10 million that is paid out to the winner of the $20-million race. Should Maximum Security be disqualified, Midnight Bisou (Midnight Lute) would presumably be declared the winner.

Maximum Security did not test positive for a prohibited substance before or after the Saudi Cup, but Servis was caught on wiretapped phone calls bragging that he gave the banned substance SGF-1000 to nearly every horse in his barn. Racing officials from JCSA have maintained that it is within their power to strip Maximum Security of the win if it was proven that Servis had been illegally drugging Maximum Security in the months surrounding the race.

The statement from the JCSA read, in part: “Following the conclusion of that investigation and pursuant to the Racing Rules of the JCSA (Rules) [2] and the Horseman's Guide (Guide) [3], the JCSA has now authorised charges to be brought against Jason Servis, the former trainer of the horse Maximum Security.

“The Charges allege substantial breaches of the Rules and the Guide and relate to the administration of Prohibited Substances to Maximum Security and failures to comply with the entry requirements for the Race.

“The JCSA will contend that the Stewards Committee should sanction Jason Servis and disqualify Maximum Security.”

The statement said that the inquiry to be held by the Stewards Committee will take place “in due course.”

The inquiry will be held in private and members of the media will not be permitted to attend. The decision of the Stewards Committee will be published at the conclusion of the inquiry. Until the Stewards Committee has made its final decision, the JCSA will issue no further statements.

At deadline for this story, Jeff Bloom, who heads the syndicate that campaigned Midnight Bisou, was unavailable for comment.

Gary West, who owned Maximum Security with his wife Mary, also could not be reached for comment. However, in December, 2022, West issued a statement saying he would be supportive of a decision to disqualify Maximum Security and redistribute the purse money.

“We believe in the justice system and have patiently waited for the legal prosecution to take its course,” West said. “Now that Jason Servis has entered a guilty plea, we want to make it clear that if the Saudi Cup decides to redistribute the purse, we would support that decision. Hopefully, that action will prevent future conduct of this nature. We believe the decision to take the Saudi Cup purse from Maximum Security and redistribute it is the correct one.”

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Baffert, Zedan Drop Appeal of Medina Spirit Disqualification

Trainer Bob Baffert took to X late Monday afternoon to report that he has told his legal team to drop the appeal to the result of the 2021 GI Kentucky Derby, from which Zedan Racing Stable's Medina Spirit (Protonico) was disqualified for a betamethasone positive.

The post read: “I have instructed my attorneys to dismiss the appeal related to the disqualification of Medina Spirit in the 2021 Kentucky Derby. Zedan Racing owner, Amr Zedan, and I have decided that it is best to positively focus on the present and future that our great sport offers. We thank the KHRC (Kentucky Horse Racing Commission) and Churchill Downs for listening and considering our point of view and we are grateful for the changes and clarity that HISA brings to our sport.”

Ever since Medina Spirit was disqualified over the positive for the medication betamethasone, Baffert and Zedan have tried to have the disqualification overturned. Their primary argument was that the medication got into the horse's system through a topical cream used to combat skin rashes. Baffert and Zedan's lawyers would eventually build more than two years of court cases and administrative appeals around the contention that the betamethasone that showed up in Medina Spirit's post-race positive test was the type that came from a permissible topical ointment and not via some other restricted means, like an intra-articular injection.

In September, Zedan and Baffert filed a petition for a judicial review of the Kentucky Horse Racing Commissions's disqualification of the colt from his win in the 2021 Kentucky Derby. The petition was filed in Franklin Circuit Court in Kentucky and also includes a protest over Baffert's suspension in Kentucky.  Zedan and Baffert claim in the petition that the “laboratory limit of detection” used to identify betamethasone in Medina Spirit “is contrary to the plain terms of KHRC regulations and is void as arbitrary and capricious.”

They also argued that KHRC's exercise of rule making and adjudicatory powers is illegal and that the penalties against Zedan “are unconstitutional, arbitrary and capricious.”

One month earlier, the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission (KHRC) closed the 27-month regulatory saga involving Medina Spirit's Kentucky Derby drug disqualification by unanimously voting to deny appeals by trainer Baffert and Zedan Racing Stables while accepting a hearing officer's recommended order that the penalties originally imposed by the Churchill Downs stewards be affirmed in their entirety. From there, Zedan and Baffert began to try to win their case through the courts.

“The KHRC did what it does best–rubber stamped its own foregone conclusion. I will discuss with Mr. Baffert, but believe it is highly likely the matter is appealed so that it can finally be presented to an impartial Court,” Baffert attorney W. Craig Robertson III said at the time.

It was not clear Monday why Zedan and Baffert apparently changed their minds and decided to drop their case.

It is possible that their dropping the case was a peace offering in what has been an ugly battle between Churchill Downs and Zedan and Baffert that at times took on a personal tone. Churchill first banned Baffert from the 2022 and 2023 Derby. In a surprising move, Churchill announced in July that the Baffert ban was being extended until at least Dec. 31, 2024.

“Mr. Baffert continues to peddle a false narrative concerning the failed drug test of Medina Spirit,” Churchill said at the time in a statement.

Churchill also recently announced that any horse trained by someone banned by the track (Baffert is believed to be the only one under such a suspension) will be ineligible to compete in the Derby if still in that trainers barn as of Jan. 29.

Throughout the dispute, there was widespread speculation that Churchill's harsh treatment of Baffert was in response to the lawsuits. With those lawsuits now having been dropped, it will be interesting to see how Churchill reacts and what doors might open for Baffert and his owners.

Following the news that the case had been dropped, Churchill Downs officials said that the development would have no bearing on Baffert's current status. “Today's dismissal of appeal does not change the current suspension or deadline to transfer horses for the upcoming 150th Kentucky Derby,” read a statement forwarded by Churchill's Darren Rogers.

 

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Variable Winter Weather Wreaking Havoc With Racing

Winter weather conditions on the East Coast and the Midwest continue to impact racing operations at a variety of racetracks.

Parx Racing in suburban Philadelphia cancelled Monday's scheduled live program in the morning hours and by mid-afternoon, word was circulating that the live card for Tuesday was also called off. Temperatures well-below freezing prompted weekend cancellations at Aqueduct and Laurel and although temperatures in the region flirted with the 40-degree mark on Monday, the thawing and re-freezing of racing surfaces is surely causing nightmares for track superintendents.

Temperatures had once again sunk to sub-freezing by nightfall Monday, but the forecast is slightly more positive–albeit rainy–over the next 72 hours. According to weather.com, the lowest low temperature is 33 degrees during the overnight hours Tuesday into Wednesday, with a predicted high temperature of 61 degrees by Friday.

The next scheduled card at Parx is this Wednesday.

Officials at Oaklawn Park were forced to cancel its entire slate of racing last weekend and conditions were forecast to moderate over the coming days. That fact notwithstanding, training has not been taking place at the Hot Springs oval and according to a communique to the local horsepeople, the track will not open for training before 2 p.m. this Wednesday, Jan. 24. A further update was expected by 5 p.m. Tuesday.

Turfway Park was able to conduct live racing last Wednesday and Thursday, but were forced to cancel both Friday and Saturday's programs.

Racing is scheduled to resume Wednesday at Turfway and Friday at Aqueduct, Laurel and–tentatively–Oaklawn.

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TAA Named Official Aftercare Partner of Pegasus

The Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (TAA) has been named the official aftercare partner of this weekend's Pegasus World Cup races at Gulfstream Park.

The TAA will have a race named on both the Friday and Saturday programs. On Friday, Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance will present Race 6: “Congratulations Fasig-Tipton TAA Auction Winners” alongside Fasig-Tipton, the winning bidder of last year's Off to the Races VIP Pegasus Package. Post time is set for 2:39 PM ET.

On Saturday, Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance will present Race 10, the Grade II 'TAA Pegasus World Cup Filly and Mare Turf Invitational S.', which has a post time of 3:45 PM ET. Winners of both named races will receive a Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance blanket and a gift bag with branded merchandise. In recognition of their enduring collaboration, 1/ST RACING will present Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance with a generous check donation following the named race at Gulfstream Park on Saturday. Representatives from the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Board of Directors and its accredited organizations will be present for the check presentation.

“We're thrilled to have Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance join us again at the Pegasus World Cup,” said Nicole Walker, Vice President of The Stronach Group. “Their amazing dedication to ensuring the well-being of these incredible animals on and off the racetrack deserves to be recognized, plus their wonderful presence adds to our celebration of racing excellence.”

The TAA will present 'best turned-out' awards, sponsored by Centennial Farm, for each of Saturday's 14 races. The winning groom and horse will be recognized by the track announcer and will be promoted across TAA's social media accounts. Award recipients will recent a TAA gift bag with branded merchandise.

“Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance is extremely excited to be part of Pegasus World Cup for another year,” said Stacie Clark Rogers, operations consultant at Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance. “It's a testament to our shared commitment to the care and support of these exceptional athletes. We're thrilled to continue our long-time partnership with Pegasus, uniting for the betterment of retired Thoroughbred racehorses in this prestigious racing event.”

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