Gary West, the owner of the horse that was disqualified from the Kentucky Derby after finishing first Saturday, said he plans to appeal the stewards’ ruling.
In the meantime, Maximum Security will not run in the Preakness Stakes, the second leg of the Triple Crown.
West appeared on “The Today Show” for an interview Monday morning, where he revealed his plans.
NEW: Maximum Security owner Gary West announced this morning on @todayshow that his horse will not run at the Preakness Stakes. pic.twitter.com/9lBCefHLG4
— NBC Sports (@NBCSports) May 6, 2019
For the first time in the Derby’s history, an objection led to a first-place result being overturned. Maximum Security was judged to be in violation of the rules by swaying from its lane and impeding two other horses. With the horse’s DQ, 65-to-1 longshot Country House won the Derby.
“If the state racing commission refuses to hear about it, I think this is something that’s big enough that the entire racing world is looking at this,” West said. “And I think they deserve an opportunity to really know what was going on.”
West called Churchill Downs “greedy” for having a 20-horse field, which he considers dangerous.
The Preakness will be run May 18 at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore.
• Adam Zielonka can be reached at azielonka@washingtontimes.com.
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