Maximum Security faces 6, favored at 8-5 in Haskell
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OCEANPORT, N.J. – A good performance by Maximum Security on Saturday in the Grade 1 Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park would heat up a 3-year-old division searching for a leader. But regardless of how Gary and Mary West’s son of New Year’s Day performs, things figure to be quite toasty with a heat wave gripping the Northeast.
Monmouth, just a few miles from the Atlantic, likely will fare better than more landlocked areas, with a humid 93 degrees predicted for Saturday in Oceanport.
A field of seven was entered for the Haskell on Wednesday, with Maximum Security drawing the outside post under jockey Luis Saez. Maximum Security, based at Monmouth with trainer Jason Servis, has been installed as the 8-5 favorite by morning-line maker Brad Thomas.
The 1 1/8-mile Haskell also includes King for a Day, who upset Maximum Security in the $150,000 Pegasus at Monmouth on June 16 for Todd Pletcher; Joevia, third in the Belmont Stakes for Monmouth-based Gregg Sacco; Preakness runner-up Everfast, conditioned by Dale Romans; and 5-for-7 Mucho Gusto, trained by eight-time Haskell winner Bob Baffert.
The field is completed by a pair of runners based at Parx – Spun to Run, who will add blinkers for trainer Carlos Guerrero, and Bethlehem Road, who races for trainer Dee Curry.
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The 3-year-old division was unsettled prior to the Kentucky Derby, but the disqualification of then-undefeated Maximum Security from first to 17th for veering out nearing the stretch turned it on its head. The Wests have challenged the stewards’ ruling in court.
A victory Saturday by Florida Derby winner Maximum Security would likely set him on a path to the Aug. 24 Travers and a chance to take charge of the division.
Servis believes Maximum Security has improved since the Pegasus, in which he stumbled at the start.
“He’s doing good now,” Servis said. “The break compromised him. I think he’ll move forward off that race, at least I hope so.”
The field, in post-position order with riders and odds, is King for a Day, John Velazquez, 5-2; Joevia, Jose Lezcano, 10-1; Spun to Run, Paco Lopez, 15-1; Bethlehem Road, Luis Castro Rodriguez, 20-1; Mucho Gusto, Joe Talamo, 2-1; Everfast, Julien Leparoux, 10-1; and Maximum Security.
The $1 million Haskell, a Win and You’re In for the Breeders’ Cup Classic, will be broadcast live on NBC from 5 to 6 p.m. Eastern. The Haskell will be race 12 on a 14-race card and has a scheduled post time of 5:47.
The Haskell undercard includes four Grade 3 stakes – the Monmouth Cup, Matchmaker, Molly Pitcher, and Oceanport – plus the $75,000 Wolf Hill.