The Week in Review: The Book on Maximum Security? Thankfully, It's Still a Work in Progress

It's quite possible there's an enterprising turf writer out there compiling notes for a book about Maximum Security (New Year's Day). If so, two literary cautions are in order: 1) The final version of this horse's story might end up being so unbelievable that it will never pass for non-fiction; 2) The aspiring author had better have more than a few blank notebooks on hand, because the end of this far-fetched tale does not yet appear to be in sight.

A Grade III seven-furlong win at Belmont Park in late October hardly seems like a plausible plot point in a compelling yarn about a potential champion racehorse. But right now, you can safely slip your bookmark into the spot after Maximum Security's polished and professional win in Saturday's Bold Ruler H. at Belmont Park, go watch this weekend's Breeders' Cup, and then return to his still-developing narrative in a few weeks knowing “Max” will be the headline horse who provides the most intrigue as the sport heads into 2020.

Let's recap the unlikely story arc so far: A homebred debuts in a $16,000 maiden-claimer. He wins by 9 3/4 lengths with no takers at the claim box, then runs up the score in two subsequent starts by a combined 24 3/4 lengths. Somewhat dismissed as an overachieving speedball in the GI Florida Derby, the colt wires that race too, stamping his ticket to the GI Kentucky Derby.

Sent straight to the front in America's most important horse race, he leads nearly every step of the trip and swats away all stretch challengers to cross the wire first, only to have his Derby win snatched away because of a questionable foul and stewards' disqualification, with the whole agonizing and confusing affair playing out on international TV.

The colt then sits out the remaining two legs of the Triple Crown while his owners file a lawsuit to contest the Derby DQ (the case is still pending). He gets beaten only a length in a gritty comeback prep, his only on-the-track loss to date. Then he fights through three distinct instances of in-race adversity to win the GI Haskell Invitational S., which is run under bizarre circumstances in front of a sparse crowd when searing summer heat causes Monmouth Park to abandon most of its biggest day of racing while pushing the Haskell post time back to nearly nightfall.

Heavily favored to win the GI Pennsylvania Derby in September, the colt is forced to scratch the week of the race after suffering a severe and acute bout of colic. He survives, but the training setback derails his chances of making the Breeders' Cup.

Rerouted to a different stakes, he wires the field despite facing older horses for the first time and being pressed through fast fractions over a distance (seven furlongs) that is not optimal for him–and with his trainer declaring post-race that the colt was not 100% conditioning-wise.

That's the believe-it-or-not story so far for Maximum Security. Even before this past weekend's emphatic Bold Ruler win, the plot thickened considerably when co-owners Gary and Mary West publicly declared they intend to race Max at age four in 2020.

You might not agree with the Wests' attempt to litigate the Kentucky Derby decision, and you might dismiss as bluster the outlandish $5-million side bets Gary West proposed to the owners of rival racehorses over the summer. But the Wests relish seeing their horses in action, and it's worth noting that they also recently said 2018 juvenile champ Game Winner (Candy Ride {Arg}) will similarly pursue a racing campaign at age four. Both decisions are likely to bolster America's older male dirt division, which right now lacks star power.

Next up for Maximum Security is either the GI Cigar Mile H. Dec. 7 at Aqueduct Racetrack or (less likely) the GI Clark H. Nov. 29 at Churchill Downs. The mid-range goal is the GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational S. (PWC) at Gulfstream Park Jan. 25

Although the sport's crystal ball was been a bit warped of late, let's allow ourselves the luxury of looking ahead three months: Assume Max wins his next stakes assignment, which is highly likely considering most of his A-list peers are opting for the Breeders' Cup instead. He will then presumably have two top-notch tighteners under his belt prior to the PWC, which will be run over a speed-conducive surface that plays directly to Maximum Security's tactical strength.

Also consider that this relatively fresh and still-maturing powerhouse is four-for-four lifetime at Gulfstream, winning those starts by a combined 38 lengths.

Come January, Gulfstream officials might have as much difficulty getting 11 other ownership groups to commit to a $500,000 PWC starting berth as Gary West has had in finding takers for those wacky $5-million side wagers.