Rules Behind Maximum Security Being Disqualified on Objection at Kentucky Derby

While most observers objected to stewards taking away Maximum Security's Kentucky Derby unofficial victory and handing it to Country House, they did follow the letter of the rule.

What is that letter? Well, glad you asked.

Country House jockey Flavien Prat filed an objection following the race, which is defined as a "claim of foul lodged by rider, patrol judge or other official," per Daily Racing Forum.

Prat claimed Maximum Security committed a foul in the final turn when the horse cut lanes without clearance. This caused War of Will to check up and push back Long Range Toddy. The objection said it also caused a hindrance to Country House, though replay showed it was slight or nonexistent.

Once the objection was filed, it went to the racing stewards, who essentially act as rule officials. They reviewed the tape of the incident for several minutes before eventually disqualifying Maximum Security and awarding Country House the Kentucky Derby.

"It's bittersweet. You always want to win with a clean trip and have everybody recognize the horse as the very good horse and great athlete that he is," trainer Bill Mott said, per Beth Harris of the Associated Press. "Due to the disqualification, I think some of that is diminished."

The disqualification was the first time a Kentucky Derby winner had ever been overturned for an in-race infraction. Dancer's Image's victory in the 1968 race was overturned after the horse tested positive for a banned substance.

"There were two horses in the race that lost all chance to win a Kentucky Derby," Mott said, referring to War of Will and Long Range Toddy. "They were in position at the time to hit the board. If what happened to us was the only thing they were looking at I don't think you would have seen a disqualification."

It's abundantly clear Maximum Security got in War of Will's way before having clearance. No one can dispute that. By the letter of the law, that warrants a disqualification.

But the fact that it handed a victory to a horse that was only barely affected (if affected at all) by the infraction was a cause of frustration for racing fans everywhere.