Max Player, the third-place finisher behind Tiz the Law in both the Belmont Stakes and Runhappy Travers Stakes, has been transferred from trainer Linda Rice to Steve Asmussen and will be pointed to the Kentucky Derby on Sept. 5, according to majority owner George Hall. Hall, who owns the horse along with SportBLX Thoroughbreds – a racing syndicate that sells shares in a portfolio of horses led by Max Player – did not give a specific reason as to why he removed the horse from Rice’s care. “I think she did a good job getting the horse this far and I think it was time for a change,” Hall said. Hall did say he wanted a trainer based in Kentucky to prepare the horse for the Derby. Max Player was scheduled to van Wednesday from Belmont Park to Asmussen’s Churchill barn. “I definitely wanted someone with experience and infrastructure at Churchill,” Hall said. “I wanted someone who could take the horse to Churchill right away and to spend some time with the horse prior to the race and give him his best shot at having a good race at that track.” :: KENTUCKY DERBY 2020: Derby Watch, point standings, prep schedule, news, and more Asmussen is the all-time leading trainer in wins at Churchill Downs. However, he is winless in the Kentucky Derby with 20 starters over 13 runnings. He finished second in 2017 with Lookin At Lee and in 2011 with Nehro. Under Rice’s care, Max Player, a son of Honor Code, won 2 of 5 starts. He won a maiden race at Parx Racing in his second career start last Dec. 17 and then captured the Grade 3 Withers at Aqueduct on Feb. 1, a victory that put him on the Kentucky Derby trail. Rice had been pointing Max Player to the Wood Memorial scheduled for April 4 at Aqueduct, but that race was canceled due to an 80-day shutdown of New York racing caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Max Player went into the Belmont Stakes on June 20 off a 140-day layoff and a ran a credible third, 5 1/4 lengths behind Tiz the Law. Last Saturday, in the Travers at Saratoga, Max Player again finished third, 7 1/2 lengths behind Tiz the Law. Max Player earned a career-best 99 Beyer Speed Figure for the performance. :: DRF's Saratoga headquarters – Stakes schedule, previews, recaps, past performances, and more Following the Travers, Max Player vanned back to Rice’s Belmont Park barn on Monday. Joel Rosario has ridden Max Player in both the Belmont and Travers. Hall said he would like to keep Rosario for the Derby if possible, though nothing is yet confirmed. Jockeys not based in Kentucky are expected to be required to be in Kentucky on Aug. 24 for a quarantine period, meaning they would have to give up several opportunities at tracks at which they are currently riding. “I thought Joel had a good ride in the Travers and I like Joel and I think he likes the horse, but if it’s his business decision not to go Kentucky because of the quarantine then he won’t be one of our options,” Hall said. “We’ll just have to see how this plays out, and I think it’s a little too early to tell.” Rice did not immediately return a message seeking comment. On her Twitter account, Rice wrote “We are disappointed to see him go, but we wish George Hall and SportBLX the best of luck.”