By Joe Bianca
Multiple Grade I winner Maximum Security (New Year's Day), knocked off the Breeders' Cup trail by a severe case of colic last month, is scheduled to make his return as a heavy favorite in Saturday's GIII Bold Ruler S. at Belmont as part of a final charge at champion 3-year-old honors.
Infamously disqualified from a victory in the GI Kentucky Derby, the previously undefeated Gary and Mary West homebred was stunned at 1-20 in the Pegasus S. June 16 at Monmouth before rebounding to capture the GI TVG.com Haskell Invitational there July 20. Skipping the GI Runhappy Travers S., the bay was entered to run in the GI Pennsylvania Derby Sept. 21 at Parx, but had to be scratched after his episode with colic. The seven-furlong Bold Ruler is Maximum Security's first one-turn try since he dominated a starter optional claimer by 18 1/4 lengths Feb. 20 at Gulfstream, and is intended as a stepping stone to the Dec. 7 GI Cigar Mile H. at Aqueduct.
“I like the cut back,” trainer Jason Servis told the NYRA notes team. “He's won at this distance. All systems are go.”
Second choice on the morning line is Daniel McConnell's Prince Lucky (Corinthian). An upset victor of the local Easy Goer S. last spring, the Pennsylvania-bred went unseen the rest of the year, but started his 4-year-old campaign with powerful victories in the GIII Hal's Hope S. and GII Gulfstream Park Mile S. Beating just one horse combined in the GIII Westchester S. and GI Runhappy Metropolitan H., he got back on track in the State Dinner S. July 7 before running a narrow second as the favorite in the GII Kelso H. last out here Sept. 21.
Third in the Kelso was Calumet Farm's True Timber (Mineshaft), who looks to round back into form for Kiaran McLaughlin. A distant runner-up in this event last year, the bay jumped way forward to fill the same slot at 31-1 in the Cigar Mile. Seventh in the GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational S., he checked in ninth in the G2 Godolphin Mile, but showed signs of life off after dueling on the pace off a near six-month layoff in the Kelso.
Curragh Stables' Killybegs Captain (Mizzen Mast), a strong third at 32-1 in the Forego S. Aug. 24 at Saratoga, tries to make it two in a row after finishing fast to annex the GIII Frank J. DeFrancis Memorial Dash S. Sept. 21 at Laurel.
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