Maximum Security

As might be expected of a May 14 foal, Maximum Security wasn’t given a hard time as a two-year-old, racing just once, when he scored easily at Gulfstream Park late in 2018. However, he quickly made up for lost time. By the time he reached his actual third birthday, he had had five races and had passed the post first in every one of them. On his first appearance at Graded level, he had led throughout to take the Gr.1 Florida Derby by three and a half lengths, with Code of Honor – future winner of the Travers Stakes and Jockey Club Gold Cup – a further three lengths back in third. Maximum Security also had Code of Honor back in third when he again led virtually throughout in the Kentucky Derby, crossing the line nearly two lengths clear. Unfortunately, he had caused a ripple effect of interference on the final turn and was demoted to 17th, even though there was little doubt about his superiority.

After missing the last two legs of the Triple Crown, Maximum Security suffered his first true defeat in a Listed race in mid-June but he bounced back in great style, reeling off victories in the Gr.1 Haskell Invitational, the Gr.3 Bold Ruler Handicap and the Gr.1 Cigar Mile, the last two under top weight. As a four-year-old he was to extend this sequence of victories to six, taking the Saudi Cup (later disqualified), the Gr.2 San Diego Handicap and the Gr.1 Pacific Classic, the last two on his first starts for Bob Baffert. His hallmark qualities continued to be speed from the start, combined with the determination to carry his speed as far as a mile and a quarter.

Maximum Security’s sire New Year’s Day, unfortunately suffered a career-ending injury after this son of Street Cry had won the Gr.1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile on only his third start. Street Cry’s previous winner of the Juvenile, Street Sense, went on to win the Kentucky Derby and to sire a string of Gr.1 winners, such as McKinzie and Maxfield. Bob Baffert went on record about his enthusiasm for New Year’s Day, explaining: “It’s so disappointing because we were really looking forward to what he could accomplish and were really looking forward to the Classics…I haven’t been this excited about a horse since Point Given running in the Classics.” In addition to Maximum Security, New Year’s Day has also hit the Gr.1 target with that good mare Fighting Mad.

Maximum Security’s dam Lil Indy was sired by a son of A.P. Indy, as was her more-than-half-brother Flat Out, a triple Gr.1 winner with earnings of over $3.6 million. His pedigree contains some of the same main elements as that of Maxfield, a winner of seven of his ten starts, including the Gr.1 Breeders’ Futurity and Gr.2 Stephen Foster Stakes.

Four stallions from the Street Cry branch of the Mr Prospector male line have sired Gr.1 winners from SEATTLE SLEW line mares, mainly from the A.P. INDY branch. Mares by sons of A.P. INDY will produce 4x3 to this two-time champion sire and grandsons such as TAPIT produce 4x4. The number of Graded stakes winners inbred to A.P. Indy within four generations is rising all the time, two of the latest being One In Vermillion and Tapit Trice.

Maximum Security’s first good winner, the French filly Rosa Salvaje, is out of a MALIBU MOON mare. Daughters of BERNARDINI, MINESHAFT and TAPIT have done well with the Street Cry line, with a BERNARDINI mare producing the Gr.1-winning SPEAKER’S CORNER to Street Sense, and they should suit Maximum Security. New Year’s Day sired a Gr.3 winner from a daughter of VINDICATION.

DANZIG, GREEN DESERT, DANEHILL, REDOUTE’S CHOICE, EXCEED AND EXCEL and INVINCIBLE SPIRIT are among the DANZIG line stallions which appear among the broodmare sires of Graded/Group winners by Street Cry and his sons.

New Year’s Day sired the Gr.1-winning Fighting Mad from a daughter of FORESTRY, which ties in with the considerable success that the Street Cry male line has enjoyed with mares by STORM CAT and his sons and grandsons.

Maximum Security can be expected to do well with mares by such as GIANT’S CAUSEWAY, TALE OF THE CAT, HENNESSY, FORESTRY, FOREST WILDCAT and SCAT DADDY.

MR PROSPECTOR will be back in the fifth generation of Maximum Security’s foals, which allows him mares with one or two lines to this champion sire. New Year’s Day has a Gr.1-placed runner out of a BROKEN VOW mare and Maximum Security would be suitable for the UNBRIDLED, GONE WEST and FORTY NINER branches.

Mares from the DEPUTY MINISTER line have blended well with such as STREET CRY, STREET BOSS and STREET SENSE. Daughters of AWESOME AGAIN and GHOSTZAPPER should suit Maximum Security.

Street Cry sired the great Australian mare Winx from a grand-daughter of HOLD YOUR PEACE and also enjoyed Gr.1 success with a mare by Hold Your Peace’s son MEADOWLAKE.

ROBERTO line mares have also made a significant contribution to the success of the Street Cry male line. The great Zenyatta is out of a KRIS S. mare and Street Boss sired a Gr.1 winner from a grand-daughter of KRIS S. Mares by DYNAFORMER and RED RANSOM could also suit Maximum Security.

Street Cry and his sons have enjoyed black-type success with mares by numerous stallions from the SADLER’S WELLS line, including SADLER’S WELLS, GALILEO, MONTJEU, HORSE CHESTNUT, EL PRADO and MEDAGLIA D’ORO.