Maximum Security wraps up pre-Haskell work
Maximum Security turned in a “super” work on Monday morning at Monmouth Park in his last serious prep for Saturday’s $1 million TVG.Com Haskell Invitational, trainer Jason Servis said.
The disqualified Kentucky Derby winner, in typical Servis style, open galloped a mile shortly after 6:45 a.m. under exercise rider Alvaro Tomas.
“He did super. Really good,” said Servis. “He went a mile in 1:53 and change. He got the first half in a minute and came home in :53 and change.”
The Florida Derby winner, owned by Gary and Mary West, will train up to the Grade 1 Haskell, according to Servis.
“I’m feeling good about him,” he said.
The field for the Grade 1 Haskell Invitational currently features Maximum Security, King for a Day, Joevia, Mucho Gusto, Everfast, Bethlehem Road and Spun to Run.
Maximum Security crossed the finish line first by 1¾ lengths in the Kentucky Derby before being disqualified and place 17th for interference.
He was beaten a length in his last start at odds of 1-20 in the TVG.Com Pegasus Stakes on June 16 at Monmouth Park by King for a Day. He had crossed the finish line first in all five starts prior to the Pegasus.
The Haskell field includes the horse that finished first in the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness runnerup (Everfast) and the third-place finisher (Joevia) in the Belmont Stakes. The late-developing King for a Day, trained by Todd Pletcher, has won both of his starts as a 3-year-old.
The mile and an eighth Haskell headlines a Saturday card that includes the Grade 3 Monmouth Cup, the Grade 3 Molly Pitcher Stakes, the Grade 3 WinStar Matchmaker Stakes, the Grade 3 Oceanport Stakes and the Wolf Hill Stakes.
