Maximum Security Disqualified From 2020 Saudi Cup

More than four years after the running of the 2020 Saudi Cup, the Stewards Committee of The Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia has formally disqualified Maximum Security from the $20 million race and declared Midnight Bisou the winner and the earner of the race's $10 million first-place prize. The action comes after the JCSA this winter recommended disqualification. An inquiry into its charges against Maximum Security's then-trainer, Jason Servis, took place this May at King Abdulaziz Racecourse in Riyadh. Servis and/or his legal representative were invited to attend remotely but chose not to do so, according to Saudi Cup officials. Last summer, Servis was sentenced to four years in prison for his role in a conspiracy to manufacture, distribute, and administer adulterated or misbranded performance-enhancing drugs to racehorses. He was among a group of more than two dozen individuals indicted in early March 2020, many for violations involving multiple horses over numerous years. The indictments came not long after the Feb. 29 running of the Saudi Cup. The Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia announced two months later that it would withhold Maximum Security's purse money pending an investigation, following the indictment of Servis in the United States. The Stewards Committee determined that the charges issued against Servis were proven and imposed sanctions. In respect of Maximum Security and the Saudi Cup, it was ordered that the placings be altered to reflect Maximum Security's disqualification and the prize money for the race be redistributed accordingly. All horses behind Maximum Security have been elevated by one finish position. Servis was issued a lifetime ban from racing in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. At the time of the Saudi Cup, Maximum Security raced for Gary and Mary West and affiliated ownership from Coolmore, which now stands him at Ashford Stud in Kentucky. Trainer Steve Asmussen began training Midnight Bisou during her 3-year-old season for owners Jeff Bloom's Bloom Racing Stable, Madaket Stables, and Allen Racing. Her owners had been awarded the second-place prize of $3.5 million. The mare was most recently sold in foal to Tapit for $5.5 million to Japanese owner Katsumi Yoshida at the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale in 2022 after Chuck Allen bought out his partners at Fasig-Tipton's The November Sale for $5 million in 2020. Though Maximum Security did not have a positive test in the Saudi Cup, evidence of Servis' care of Maximum Security and other horses trained by him came to light during sentencing last summer before United States District Court Judge Mary Kay Vyskocil. During his sentencing, the judge said Servis administered clenbuterol to horses without a prescription and gave an injectable compounded drug called SGF-1000 in violation of racing rules. She also said Servis obtained a more potent version of clenbuterol (a bronchodilator) from fellow convicted equine drug user Jorge Navarro, a Florida- and New Jersey-based trainer who was a co-defendant with Servis in the case. Navarro was sentenced to five years in prison in 2021. Vyskocil quoted from a wiretap in which Servis told his assistant trainer that he had to keep Maximum Security on the clenbuterol he got from Navarro. "Then you lied to Maximum Security's owner," the judge said, quoting an email exchange Servis had with co-owner Gary West before the running of the 2020 Saudi Cup in which the co-owner stressed not to give Maximum Security anything that would risk disqualification. "Just an FYI Max has never been on anything out of the ordinary," Servis replied to West. "Instead you gave the horse illegal performance-enhancing drugs," Vyskocil told Servis. In December 2022 after Servis entered a guilty plea, West said in a statement that he would support a redistribution of the prize money. Luis Saez rode Maximum Security in the Saudi Cup, as he did in the 2019 Kentucky Derby (G1) when Maximum Security was disqualified for interference, and Country House was placed first after a 22-minute stewards inquiry. That disqualification cost the Wests the winner's purse of $1.86 million. The full written Saudi Cup decision from the JCSA can be found online. The report indicates that throughout January and February of 2020, Servis used the veterinary practice of Dr. Joseph Migliacci to treat his horses. The JCSA report said Servis had "two suspicious administrations" and a "significant level of under reporting of administrations and treatments on medical declaration forms" in violation of rules of entry. The stewards dismissed concerns from Maximum Security's connections that the stewards' consideration of court transcripts was hearsay evidence and had never been challenged. "Coolmore asserts that there was no concrete evidence in the United States Criminal Proceedings that PEDs were administered to Maximum Security in the six months before the Race and that Mr. Servis was not charged with administering any PED," the report said. "The Stewards Committee does not dispute this and reinforces the fact that Mr. Servis is charged with administering prohibited substances contrary to the entry conditions for the Race." These include claims of the use of SGF-1000 and/or the illicit clenbuterol. SGF-1000 has been promoted as a vasodilator capable of promoting stamina, endurance, and lower heart rates in horses. Clenbuterol has come under increased restrictions due to producing results similar to anabolic steroids. The disqualifications and redistributed purses, not yet updated on Equibase as of midday Aug. 2, dramatically alter the official earnings of Maximum Security and Midnight Bisou and will result in the adjustment of some sire statistics by progeny earnings. Maximum Security, the Eclipse Award-winning 3-year-old male of 2019, is by New Year's Day, who stands at Shadai Stallion Station in Japan, and Midnight Bisou, champion older dirt female in 2019, is by Hill 'n' Dale Farms at Xalapa's Midnight Lute. The change in the order of finish and earnings will result in Midnight Lute becoming the second-leading general sire of 2020. With her being awarded first place and her record improving to 14-for-22, Midnight Bisou's earnings will swell to almost $14 million, and Maximum Security's falls to $2.4 million. He now has nine official victories from 14 starts. The report did not address whether Mike Smith, who was aboard Midnight Bisou, would face an increased monetary penalty upon the change in order of finish for what Saudi stewards called "excessive" use of the riding crop in the race. He had been docked $200,000 and suspended nine days in 2020 based on her runner-up finish. Jockeys typically received a 10% share of any prize money, and Smith was made to forfeit 60% of his claim to her initial $3.5 million prize. Afterward, Smith told BloodHorse that the punishment did not fit the infraction and that he did not feel he rode her excessively. Reflecting on Maximum Security's disqualification, a JCSA spokesman said, "The JCSA is satisfied that, following a full disciplinary process, the charges affecting the outcome of the 2020 Saudi Cup have now been determined by the Stewards Committee following a proper investigation. The JCSA will abide by the decision of the Stewards Committee." The JCSA spokesman congratulated "the connections of Midnight Bisou, who is the only mare to win the Saudi Cup to date," and added the JCSA would have no further comment on the inquiry and disqualification. Bloom, in reply to the four-year wait for the disqualification to be issued, quipped, "That was easy." Continuing more seriously in describing his emotions, he said: "I'm trying to search for the right words, but obviously gratification, excitement. More than anything, I'm really just so proud of the mare. I mean, talk about putting a stamp on an incredible career—what a way to do it, by taking down the world's richest horse race against the most accomplished male handicap horses. It's icing on the cake for what was a fairy-tale ride with Midnight Bisou." The JCSA report said, "The compilation of a significant amount of evidence from various sources has inevitably taken a considerable amount of time and thus delayed the arrangement of this hearing." "Did I think it would take over four years? No, but I can tell you it was worth the wait now that we've gotten there," Bloom said. Robert Gearty contributed to this story with his sentencing coverage of Servis' case.