Maximum Security Drops in NTRA Poll After Federal Indictment

Maximum Security defeats Midnight Bisou in the $20 million Saudi Cup (G1) but after Monday’s federal indictment against his trainer Jason Servis he has dropped to fourth in the latest NTRA Poll. (Photo credit: Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia/Neville Hopwood).

Maximum Security, who won the $20 million Saudi Cup (G1) Feb. 29 dropped from first to fourth in this week’s National Thoroughbred Racing Association’s Top Thoroughbred Poll.

A federal indictment unsealed by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York named 27 individuals in a drug distribution scheme that included Maximum Security’s trainer Jason Servis.

There were details in the indictment that Maximum Security received performance enhancing drugs.

The NTRA press release stated, “NTRA poll voters were given the opportunity to adjust their selections should they choose.”

Last week Maximum Security was first in the polling with 42 of the 43 first place votes and 422 points. This week he had 24 first place votes and his 241 points dropped him to fourth.

Midnight Bisou Takes Over Top Spot

Midnight Bisou, who ran second in the Saudi Cup moved from second to first in this week’s NTRA poll. The mare garnered 16 first place votes and 376 points.

There were 14 voters that left Maximum Security completely off their ballots this week.

Mucho Gusto moved up from third to second in this week’s poll. He won the Pegasus World Cup (G1) at Gulfstream Park and then was fourth in the Saudi Cup. The Bob Baffert trainee is being pointed toward the Dubai World Cup (G1) on March 28.

Zulu Alpha moved from fourth to third in this week’s poll. He is perfect in two starts this year, winning the Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational (G1) on Jan. 25 and the Mac Diarmida Stakes (G2) in his most recent start on Feb. 29, both starts coming at Gulfstream Park.

Firenze Fire, who is also trained by Servis, dropped from seventh to eighth. Fifth in last fall’s Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1), he has won his last three starts, taking the General George (G3) at Laurel Park on Feb. 15 in his last start.

It remains to be seen if jurisdictions where Servis trained runners would have blood samples retested, which could lead to disqualifications. Maximum Security won the Eclipse Award for top three-year-old and while there is no precedence for a disqualification for that award, that certainly is a possibility.