Jason Servis

RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA - Gary and Mary West and Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith's Maximum Security (New Year's Day) put the final exclamation point on a memorable day of racing at King Abdulaziz Racetrack in Riyadh Saturday, recording a gritty 3/4-length victory over Midnight Bisou (Midnight Lute) in the inaugural $20-million Saudi Cup. Last year's champion sophomore was forced to drift in and out down the lane as he attempted to overtake pacesetting Mucho Gusto (Mucho Macho Man) and finally took charge with 100 meters to run before...

Riyadh, SAUDI ARABIA--Maximum Security (New Year's Day) continues to put his controversial disqualification in last year's GI Kentucky Derby further and further in the rear-view mirror, striding home a powerful winner of the inaugural $20-million Saudi Cup Saturday night in Riyadh. Making his first start of the year, the 4-year-old was floated to the center of the track down the backstretch and was shuffled in traffic as he found ground to shadow the pacesetting Mucho Gusto (Mucho Macho Man). Mucho Gusto drifted out at the top of the lane, forcing...

When Maximum Security (New Year's Day) touched down in Saudi Arabia last week, a new chapter began for the horse that had a star-crossed 2019. On Saturday, he will face the stiffest challenge of his career in the inaugural running of the $20-million Saudi Cup. It's a race that will answer a lot of questions, but don't be surprised if the end result is an emphatic win from last year's 3-year-old male champion. While Maximum Security had a strong 3-year-old campaign, his year was remembered more for what didn't happen...

Maximum Security (New Year's Day)'s sophomore season had plenty of ups and downs, but, in the end, he proved he truly was the best of his generation. Dangled for a $16,000 tag when winning his debut in December of 2018, the homebred kicked off 2019 with a pair of dominant starter optional claiming scores at Gulfstream Jan. 24 and Feb. 20, respectively. The bay jumped right to the top of the class ladder after that and showed that he belonged there with a 3 1/2-length victory in the GI Xpressbet.com...

The inaugural US$29.2-million Saudi Cup program, to be held at King Abdulaziz Racecourse in the capital of Riyadh Saturday, Feb. 29, has attracted 964 entries from connections of horses from all corners of the globe. The meeting's centerpiece is the $20-million Saudi Cup at 1800 meters on dirt and attracted over 140 nominations from 60 different trainers from four continents, representing 16 countries. The world's richest horse race has entries from Argentina, Bahrain, Japan, Korea, Poland and Turkey, but American runners figure to take all the beating. Midnight Bisou (Midnight...

Gary and Mary West's Maximum Security (New Year's Day), last-out winner of the TVG.com Haskell Invitational S. at Monmouth Park July 20, breezed a leisurely half-mile in :54 flat Wednesday morning as he works toward a yet-to-be determined next start which could come in either the GI Runhappy Travers S. at Saratoga Aug. 24 or in the GI Pennsylvania Derby at Parx Sept. 21. "I just want to make sure he is 100%," trainer Jason Servis told the Monmouth press office. "He's still not there yet." Servis said a decision...

Michael Dubb, Madaket Stables and Bethlehem Stables' multiple Grade I winner World of Trouble (Kantharos), who had to be scratched as a heavy morning-line favorite from Saturday's GIII Troy S. at Saratoga, is recovering from a foot bruise and visited the track Sunday morning, according to trainer Jason Servis. "He's better. He had a foot bruise. We tested it and he was tender, real tender. We kind of had to cut it out and it got a little more tender, nothing serious," Servis told the NYRA notes team. "He actually...

Maximum Security (New Year's Day) faces a speed-laden field of six foes as he looks to bounce back in Saturday's GI TVG.com Haskell Invitational S. at Monmouth Park, which carries a "Win and You're In" berth to this year's GI Breeders' Cup Classic. The saga the Gary and Mary West homebred has been embroiled in is well documented--a controversial DQ from first to 17th in the GI Kentucky Derby led to plenty of debate, and litigation, and the GI Xpressbet Florida Derby winner skipped the next two legs of the...