Maximum Security – Courtesy of Benoit Photo
Finally, a verdict from the Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia is in: A recommendation to disqualify Maximum Security from his win in the world’s richest horse race because trainer Jason Sevis committed “substantial breaches of the rules” for the 2020 Saudi Cup.
The rules breached related to Servis’ arrest and conviction on drug misbranding charges in the United States.
The recommendation was made to the Stewards’ Commission after the jockey club investigated the distribution of the winner’s purse of $10 million. A hearing on whether to accept the recommendation will take place “in due course,’’ a statement released Tuesday by Saudi Arabia’s jockey club said.
Less than two weeks after Maximum Security won the inaugural Saudi Cup, Servis was arrested in March 2020, along with dozens of others connected to racing, both thoroughbred and standardbred. Distribution of the purse was suspended at that time.
Maximum Security Disqualification: Jockey Club’s Verdict on Drug Misbranding Case
The Jockey Club said that it “has made its final deliberation in respect of the charges brought” and that it “will issue no further statement in relation to this matter.”
Servis pleaded guilty to two charges of drug misbranding and adulteration in December 2022. He was sentenced to four years in prison on the charges in the summer of 2023.
Prosecutors said that Servis was caught on wiretaps admitting to administering illegal substances to nearly all of his horses, and they specifically alleged that Maximum Security was administered a dubious substance marketed as SGF-1000 in the months leading up to the Saudi Cup.
Gary West, co-owner of Maximum Security with his wife, Mary, said in 2022 that he supported a decision by the Saudi Arabia’s jockey club to disqualify his horse. (West’s statement came after Servis entered his guilty plea).
If/when Maximum Security is officially disqualified, Midnight Bisou, a mare trained by Steve Asmussen, would be moved up to first, third-place finisher Benbatl would be second, and Mucho Gusto would be third.
The writing team at US Racing is comprised of both full-time and part-time contributors with expertise in various aspects of the Sport of Kings.
