The incredible 2020 Saudi Cup is etched in the minds of all long-time horse racing fans. But it was a treat for the American spectators who saw American thoroughbred Maximum Security bring home the $10 million purse race. It was a delightful day on February 29, 2020; however, things inevitably went south on March 9, 2020. The former trainer of the horse, Jason Servis, was suspected of doping his horses, for which the payment of the purse was stopped by the Saudi officials as they awaited further investigation into the matter.

It took almost four years, but the Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia finally disqualified the American thoroughbred from its spectacular victory. Word spread like wildfire over social media, and the story quickly went viral. However, Maximum Security fans, who awaited judgement for a long time, were outraged by this decision.

The G1 win was never secure for Maximum Security

Maximum Security was a horse in its own league. Throughout its career, the equine won several graded stakes and kept its fans proud. Despite the issues after the Saudi Cup, the horse participated in four races, of which he won two in a dominant fashion. After nearly four years of waiting, the Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia has chosen to disqualify the American thoroughbred from its 2020 Saudi Cup triumph, as reported by Horse Racing Nation. The statement released by JCSA also added that former trainer Jason Servis should be sanctioned regarding the violations he committed.

Back in 2022, the former trainer pleaded guilty to the charges related to the accusations. A four-year jail term was then handed down to Servis in the month of July. Maximum Security’s owners, Gary and Mary West, also supported the officials regarding their decision against Servis and agreed to resettle the G1 race’s purse. The JCSA eventually reached a conclusion following additional investigations. At the end of the day, the community was utterly dissatisfied with the Saudi authorities’ choice, as Maximum Security had already won over the hearts of the fans.

Horse racing fans united and enraged

There was a rumble on social media when the American thoroughbred horse was disqualified. Supporters of Maximum Security quickly congregated in the comment section of Horse Racing Nation’s post as they were against the decision of JCSA. A fan had a question; as they say, “This has been so long, what I can remember is that they didn’t find anything in his system but just because his trainer was found guilty that’s enough to disqualify him. Am I remembering this right?” Another fan blamed the system, saying, “We need better systems in place. He should stand the winner.”

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Despite the scratch, this fan conveyed their emotions, saying, “Regardless of his screwball trainer (& anything else!!!), MAXIMUM SECURITY will ALWAYS be a CHAMPION of CHAMPIONS. End of story.” A major question was also asked by this user, as they say, “Why must we continue to ruin this sport???” Since the 2020 Saudi Cup, there have been several stories and speculations about the horse, which has also caused many controversies. Surely, JCSA investigated before making an ideal decision, but was Maximum Security deserving of it? Let us know your thoughts on this down below.

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