Servis trying to look ahead with Maximum Security

OCEANPORT, N.J. – On a sunny, albeit chilly Wednesday morning at Monmouth Park, trainer Jason Servis was trying to conduct business as usual, accompanying multiple sets of horses to and from his barn to the track.

Work has been the best way for Servis to deal with the still stinging sensation of having been the trainer of the first horse to get disqualified from winning the Kentucky Derby due to an ontrack incident in the 145-year history of the race.

“Turn the page,” Servis, who has more than 60 horses based at Monmouth, said Wednesday.

It hasn’t been that easy. While Servis said he hasn’t read much about what’s been said and debated since the Derby, he’s had to relive the incident almost daily.

“It seems like every time I see somebody I haven’t seen in a while, I got to relive it,” Servis said.

When he allows himself to relive it, the most prominent thought he has is how well his horse ran on the biggest stage.

“He was the best horse that day,” Servis said. “Maybe they beat him next time, maybe they beat him the next three times, but that day he was the best horse. He was spot on.”

Maximum Security, ridden by Luis Saez, crossed the finish line first by 1 3/4 lengths in the Derby. Entering the far turn, Maximum Security came out a few paths. War of Will, who was behind him, was attempting to tip out at the same point, and jockey Tyler Gaffalione checked War of Will and Jon Court checked on Long Range Toddy.

After being straightened out by Saez, Maximum Security would go on to cross the wire first.

It was announced that Flavien Prat, on second-place finisher Country House, lodged an objection. Twenty-two minutes later the stewards disqualified Maximum Security from first and placed him 17th, behind Long Range Toddy. It wasn’t until nearly two hours after the disqualification that it become public that Court had even claimed foul.

Servis said he spoke to the stewards a few minutes after the race went official and was told only Prat claimed foul.

“I talked to the stewards three to five minutes after the race was official, they told me twice there was one claim of foul” by Prat, Servis said. “I said ‘How did I get pushed so far back?’ They said ‘You bothered [Long Range Toddy], so we had to put you [behind him.] I said ‘Okay, and there was one claim of foul?’ They said ‘Yes.” I said, ‘Who am I speaking with?’ He said ‘You’re on speaker phone with all three of us?’ That’s word for word. I’ll die with that.”

While owners Gary and Mary West filed a lawsuit in Lexington, Ky., to try and get the disqualification overturned, Servis is trying to get his horse ready for the second half of the year.

On May 9 at Monmouth, Servis sent Maximum Security to the track for the first time since the Derby. He didn’t like the way the horse was moving, so he ordered X-rays and an ultrasound. Nothing showed up.

Servis was scheduled to send the horse back to the track Thursday for a jog and then gradually “ease back into a routine” from there.

If things go well, Servis said a start in the $150,000 Pegasus Stakes on June 16 at Monmouth could be used as a prep for the Grade 1, $1 million Haskell Invitational on July 20. The $1.25 million Travers on Aug. 24 at Saratoga also is a possibility.

Servis said his goal for the remainder of the year is to try and make Maximum Security – who before the Kentucky Derby had won his first four starts, including the Grade 1 Florida Derby – a divisional championship.

“It’s not redemption, it’s breeding rights. It’s making a stallion out of him, getting 3-year-old of the year,” he said. “I’ve never done that.”

◗ Fans ontrack Saturday at Monmouth Park will get an opportunity to see Maximum Security school in the paddock. He will come over with the field for the fifth race (approximately 2:20 p.m.) and take several turns around the walking ring.