Maximum Security © Benoit Photo

 MAXIMUM SECURITY EXITS TOUGH RACE ‘GOOD’; ‘CLASSIC LIKELY NEXT

Maximum Security was “good” Sunday morning, following an all-out effort for a nose victory in Saturday’s Grade  II, $150,000 San Diego Handicap, Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert reported.

“I actually thought he was pretty good right after the race being that I only had him about 80 percent,” Baffert said. “I didn’t think he’d have to do a stop-and-go movement (during the race) but he showed what a great horse he is.”

Making his first start for Baffert, first in five months, and under new jockey Abel Cedillo, Maximum Security vied with Midcourt for the lead through the first quarter in :23.74, dropped back to third place, 2 ½ lengths behind Midcourt at the half-mile mark, rallied to draw even with an eighth of a mile to go and prevailed by a nose at the end of the 1 1/16-mile race.

“It’s a good starting point, we learned a lot about the horse, now we’re caught up and he’s ready to go,” Baffert said. Rather than “go,” however, Baffert’s inclination is to “stay” at Del Mar for the $500,000, Grade I, 1 ¼-mile TVG Pacific Classic on August 22. Even though there figure to be pressures, subtle and unsubtle, to exercise other options. The Woodward Stakes at Saratoga is the same purse and distance as the Pacific Classic two weeks later on the calendar.  

“The Pacific Classic or the Woodward, depending ….but I like the Pacific Classic,” Baffert said. “He brings his racetrack with him. He’s got a lot of will to win, he’s courageous and a smart horse. There’s just something about him, he’s got a lot of will to win. He’s got a lot of W’s by his name and there’s a reason for that.”

John Shirreffs, trainer of Midcourt, said his 5-year-old gelding showed no ill effects from a fully game try for a sixth victory in 12 starts.

“We are, of course, very proud of his race,” Shirreffs said via text. “It was a flip of a coin who would  hit the wire with his head down.” There are no immediate plans regarding a next race.

McKINZIE A SURPRISE FOR BING CROSBY AS SATURDAY STAKES ARE SET

Post positions were drawn and fields were set Sunday for three stakes on an 11-race card next Saturday.

The most surprising, and biggest development, was the entry of multiple graded stakes-winning McKinzie in the Grade I, $250,000 Bing Crosby Stakes, a 6-furlong main track run that often determines the top sprinter of the meeting.

Trainer Bob Baffert watched McKinzie zip through a 5-furlong work in 1:00.80 this morning before entering the 5-year-old son of Street Sense, a winner of seven graded stakes and more than $3.4 million, in the Crosby.

McKinzie, with graded stakes wins from 7 furlongs to 1 1/8 miles on his record, will be tasked at the shortest distance of his career. Owned by Karl Watson, Mike Pegram and Paul Weitman and named for the late racing executive Brad McKinzie, the bay horse won his racing debut at seven furlongs at Los Alamitos on October 28, 2017. He notched a Grade I score at the same distance in the Malibu at Santa Anita on December 26, 2018 and a Grade II in the 7-furlong Triple Bend there in June.

Baffert doesn’t expect cutting back by an eighth of a mile would be a problem. 

“He’s got speed. All good horses have speed,” Baffert said. “The only good horse of mine that couldn’t run short was Real Quiet.” Real Quiet overcame his “shortcomings” by winning the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and very nearly the Belmont Stakes.

The field of 10 from the rail: Lexitonian (Drayden Van Dyke); Anyportinastorm (Juan Hernandez); Desert Law (Victor Espinoza); McKinzie (Mike Smith); P R Radio Star (Mario Gutierrez); Fashionably Fast (Tiago Pereira); Law Abidin Citizen (Abel Cedillo); Wildman Jack (Umberto Rispoli); Collusion Illusion (Flavien Prat), and Heartwood (Edwin Maldonado).

Also next Saturday, the $100,000 Shared Belief Stakes, a Kentucky Derby points qualifier, has six signed up to go, featuring Santa Anita Derby winner Honor A.P.

The field from the rail: Uncle Chuck (Drayden Van Dyke); Thousand Words (Abel Cedillo); Anneau d’Or (Victor Espinoza); Kiss Today Goodbye (Umberto Rispoli); Honor A.P. (Mike Smith), and Cezanne (Flavien Prat).

On the undercard is the $100,000 CTBA Stakes for California-bred 2-year-old fillies. It attracted seven fillies that have shown promise in one or two starts.

The field from the rail: Big Andy (Flavien Prat); Governor Goteven (Tiago Pereira); Reign of Fire (Drayden Van Dyke); Righteously (Mario Gutierrez); Jasmin Chieftain (Juan Hernandez); Love Wins (Abel Cedillo), and I’m So Anna (Ricardo Gonzalez).

BAFFERT 3-YEAR-OLDS TUNE UP FOR MAJOR ASSIGNMENTS

Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert dispatched undefeated (2-for-2) Uncle Chuck, comebacking Eight Rings and several other stable standouts for exercises Sunday morning in preparation for major upcoming assignments.

Uncle Chuck, a 3-year-old son of Uncle Mo who produced a four-length victory in the Grade III Los Alamitos Derby last out, went six furlongs in 1:12:20. Del Mar clocker Toby Turrell caught interims of  :12.20, :47.80, and :59.80 with a gallop out to 1:26.00 for the solo work under Juan Ochoa. Uncle Chuck is entered and drew the rail for next Saturday’s Shared Belief.

Eight Rings covered five furlongs in :59.20, tied with several others for fastest of  55 at the distance. The Empire Maker colt, who ducked in and hit the rail to unseat rider Drayden Van Dyke as the favorite in the 2019 Del Mar Futurity, is preparing for the second start of his 3-year-old campaign following a fifth-place of sixth as the favorite in the Batchelor at Oaklawn Park in April.

Three-year-old filly Gamine, winner of the Acorn Stakes in June who has been mentioned as a major candidate for the Kentucky Oaks or Kentucky Derby, went 6 furlongs in 1:12.60 for a possible start in the Test Stakes at Saratoga on August 8.

Four-year-old filly Fighting Mad, winner of the Grade II Santa Maria Stakes at Santa Anita on May 31, covered 5 furlongs in :59.40 preparing for the Grade I, $250,000 Clement L. Hirsch Stakes next Sunday.

“She likes this track and she’s been working great,” Baffert said.

BIG DAY BOOSTS CEDILLO; MILLER STAYS HOT

Victories in back-to-back stakes on Saturday highlighted a three-win day for jockey Abel Cedillo that moved him from a tie with Flavien Prat in the jockey standings to a solo second, one win behind leader Umberto Rispoli.

Rispoli has nine wins from 34 mounts for the first five days of the meeting. Cedillo is next with eight and defending champion Prat, with one win Saturday, follows with six.

Cedillo won Saturday’s fourth race with Secret Keeper ($8.40) for  trainer Cliff Sise, then got the job done with favorites in the consecutive Grade II stakes on the program. First came Laura’s Light ($4.40) in the San Clemente, then Maximum Security ($2.80) in the stirring San Diego Handicap.

Miller gave Cedillo a leg up on Laura’s Light for his seventh win from 25 starters to take a three-win lead on Richard Baltas (4-for-15).

“Things have fallen into place well for us,” Miller said. “We’ve got some very nice rides, like this one (Cedillo’s on Laura’s Light), and things are going well.” Miller is seeking an eighth Del Mar title. Four of the seven previous have come in the Bing Crosby fall meeting.

CLOSERS – Selected works from 207 on dirt and 34 on turf officially timed Sunday morning: Dirt – Keeper Ofthe Stars (4f, :50.40), Ce Ce (5f, 1:01.00), McKale (5f, :59.20), Anneau d’Or (6f, 1:15.40); Turf – Cordiality (4f, :50.00), Mucho Unusual (4f, :51.40), Storm the Court (4f, :50.00).

Del Mar Statistics

Presented by Torrey Hollistics

Jockey Standings

(Current Through July 25, 2020 Inclusive)

Trainer Standings

(Current Through July  25, 2020 Inclusive)

Winning Favorites Report

(Current Through July 25, 2020 Inclusive)

Winning favorites -- 15 out of 52 -- 28.85%
Winning favorites on dirt -- 7 out of 28 -- 25.00%
Winning favorites on turf -- 8 out of 24 -- 33.33%
Winning odds-on favorites -- 3 out of 5 -- 60.00%
In-the-Money favorites -- 35 out of 52 -- 67.31%
In-the-Money odds-on favorites -- 5 out of 5 -- 100.00%