A partnership dedicated to breeding and racing in Indiana put together a deal that relocated multiple grade 1 winner and second-crop sire Maximum Security to Breakway Farm, where he'll stand next year for $3,500.
The 9-year-old son of New Year's Day is still owned by owner/breeders Gary and Mary West but is being leased to the partnership that prefers to remain anonymous.
Tara Mathias, manager at Breakway, said during the summer she was contacted about standing a new stallion but did not have a name yet.
"When we found out it was Maximum Security, I was—wow, I didn't expect that," she said. "We are really excited to bring a horse with his accomplishments to the Indiana market."
Maximum Security was a seriously talented racehorse who got mired in controversy. Prior to the 2019 Kentucky Derby (G1), the colt was riding an undefeated winning streak that began with three wins at Gulfstream Park by a combined 34 1/2 lengths before he captured the Florida Derby (G1) by 3 1/2 lengths. He would cross the wire first in the Kentucky Derby only to become the first horse in the classic race's history to be disqualified for interference.
After the Derby, he reasserted his dominance in the 3-year-old division by winning the Haskell Invitational Stakes (G1) and Cigar Mile Handicap (G1) and was named 2019 champion 3-year-old colt. At 4, Maximum Security won the inaugural $20 million Saudi Cup followed by the San Diego Handicap (G2) and Pacific Classic (G1).
Maximum Security would later lose his Saudi Cup earnings via a disqualification related to his trainer Jason Servis being among 32 individuals indicted in 2020 on federal charges related to the distribution and use of adulterated and misbranded performance-enhancing drugs with the intent of hiding their use in racehorses. Servis ultimately pleaded guilty to two charges and was sentenced in July 2023 to four years in prison.
Maximum Security's final race record settled at 9-2-0 from 14 starts and $2,431,900 in earnings.
His stud career started strong at Ashford Stud where he bred 135 mares his first season at stud in 2021. As the federal trials wore on, however, the stallion's book size dropped to 54 by 2024. Still Maximum Security is among the top 12 second-crop sires as of Sept. 29 with more than $2.2 million in progeny earnings. His top runners, include French group 3 winner Rosa Salvaje; grade 3-placed multiple stakes winner Instant Replay; and, grade 3-placed winner Maximum Promise.
Mathias said Maximum Security's speed and the success of his runners at 2 make him an attractive addition to the Indiana stallion market. As a racehorse, Maximum Security won seven races in gate-to-wire fashion—including the Florida Derby, Cigar Mile, and Pacific Classic—and more than half his winning progeny to date were winners at 2.
"We are close to Kentucky so all the breeders who are still in love with him can use him," Mathias said. "I'm confident he going to throw speed, and those are the stallions that do really well here."
