By Bill Finley
The Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia (JCSA) announced Monday that it is withholding distributing the purse money from the $20-million Saudi Cup in light of the criminal charges filed against winning trainer Jason Servis. Servis, who trained Maximum Security (New Year's Day), was one of 27 people indicted after a wide-ranging FBI probe into horse doping.
The winner's share of the race is $10 million.
The JCSA issued a press release Monday which read, in part: “JCSA is aware that Mr. Jason Servis, trainer of the horse, Maximum Security, the first-placed horse in the Saudi Cup, has been indicted in the United States of America on charges relating to the administration of prohibited substances to horses in training under his care and control.
“JCSA is conducting its own investigation in respect of the allegations and until that investigation is concluded, JCSA will withhold payment of prize money due to all connections of horses placed in prize-winning positions in the Saudi Cup, Race 8. This decision has been communicated privately to connections of Saudi Cup runners.”
The release went on to state that the investigation has been slowed due to the coronavirus and that the JCSA will issue no further statements until its investigation is finished.
The JCSA has been using the French drug lab Laboratoire des Courses Hippiques to handle the drug testing for its races. The JCSA also announced Monday that the lab found the presence of the banned drug cobalt in Sun Hat (Ire) (Helmet {Aus}) following a race on the Feb. 28 card. In their press release, Saudi authorities made no mention of the results of any test performed on Maximum Security.
When asked for comment via email, Maximum Security owner Gary West replied, “I agree it is appropriate for them to conduct their own investigation.”
The investigation raises the possibility that second-place finisher Midnight Bisou (Midnight Lute) will be declared the Saudi Cup winner. She earned $3.5 million for finishing second. In March, Jeff Bloom, one of the owners of Midnight Bisou, issued a statement in which he said he expected that Maximum Security will be disqualified from his Saudi win.
“At this time we are following the news as everyone throughout our industry,” the statement read. “We are of course deeply concerned and frustrated of the apparent cheating and blatant disregard for the equine athletes that has been pervasive for all the accused in the Federal indictments.”
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