Maximum Security's championship hopes hinge on Haskell win

**Please note: Post time has been moved to 8:05 p.m. ET due to excessive heat at Monmouth Park**

OCEANPORT, N.J. – There is little middle ground for Maximum Security in the Grade 1 Haskell on Saturday at Monmouth Park. A victory will likely send him to the Travers with a chance to take control of the 3-year-old division. A loss would be a major setback to his championship chances.

Maximum Security won his first four starts, all for owners Gary and Mary West and trainer Jason Servis, topped off by the Grade 1 Florida Derby. But in his two most recent outings, he has been disqualified from first to 17th after veering out on the far turn of the Kentucky Derby and finished second to Haskell rival King for a Day after stumbling at the start in the $150,000 Pegasus Stakes at Monmouth.

Servis has schooled Maximum Security at the gate since the Pegasus and is confident the speedy New Year’s Day colt will break cleanly. He also believes Maximum Security needed to race in the Pegasus to be at his best for the $1 million Haskell.

“I’ve had him back to the gate twice, and he’s been perfect,” Servis said. “I’m not anticipating any trouble at the gate.

“I think he’s a little better since the Pegasus. I think he’ll move forward off that race, at least I hope so. For the Derby, he was lights-out, spot on, but it was a tough race on him. He’s doing good again now.”

Maximum Security comes into the Haskell off two slow Servis-style works, a 53.80-second half-mile on July 6 and a 53.40 half on Monday. Both clockings came as the tail halves of one-mile open gallops. Servis said Maximum Security went his opening half-mile in a minute Monday.

“It’s something I’ve done for a long time, that I’ve had success with,” Servis said.

Maximum Security is well drawn in the outside post in the seven-horse Haskell and will have Luis Saez aboard for the fourth straight race. He should either be on the lead or close to it in a field that includes other front-runners.

Mucho Gusto, King for a Day, and Joevia appear to be Maximum’s Security’s main challengers. The field is completed by Preakness runner-up Everfast and a pair of Parx-based runners, Spun to Run and Bethlehem Road.

Spun to Run will be making his first start since March. He is trained by Carlos Guerrero and adds blinkers.

“When we put the blinkers on him, he went from a little kid running around to all business,” Guerrero said.

Mucho Gusto, trained by eight-time Haskell winner Bob Baffert, is 5 for 7 in his career. He comes into the Haskell off a 2 1/4-length victory in the Grade 3 Affirmed and figures to get a stalking trip just off the pace under Joe Talamo.

“I think he’s really improved, he’s matured,” Baffert said. “We’ll let Talamo play the break, get a comfortable spot, and put him in the clear.”

King for a Day, an improving son of Uncle Mo trained by Todd Pletcher, is 2 for 2 this year. He began his season with a win in the restricted Sir Barton Stakes at Pimlico, then tracked Maximum Security in the Pegasus and outfinished him to win by a length.

“His race in the Sir Barton was very good, and then the way he stepped up in the Pegasus was impressive,” Pletcher said. “He’s a very nice colt.”

King for a Day will be ridden by John Velazquez, who takes over from Joe Bravo, who was aboard for the Pegasus. Velazquez will have to figure out a way not to get shuffled back from post 1.

Joevia set the pace in the Belmont Stakes and held on well to finish third, beaten 1 3/4 lengths. Trainer Gregg Sacco, based at Monmouth, said “he’s trained very well” since the Belmont. Joevia comes into the Monmouth off a 58.40-second bullet work last Saturday.

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“In his last work, he went a little faster than we wanted and galloped out in 1:11 and change,” Sacco said. “But he’s done fine since.”

The 1 1/8-mile Haskell, a Win and You’re In for the Breeders’ Cup Classic, is scheduled for 5:47 p.m. Eastern and will be televised on NBC. The 14-race card includes five other stakes. Midnight Bisou, the top older filly or mare in the nation, is scheduled to race in the Grade 3 Molly Pitcher.

There are two guaranteed wagering pools on the card, a $400,000 all-stakes pick four that ends on the race-12 Haskell and a $100,000 pick five on races 10-14.

With a heat wave gripping the eastern half of the country, conditions will be steamy at Monmouth. Although Oceanport figures to be not as hot as inland areas due to its proximity to the ocean, the AccuWeather forecast calls for humid conditions and a high of 93 degrees.

Monmouth has put heat protocols into place to protect both humans and horses.