The stud career of dual surface grade 1 winner World of Trouble was full speed ahead rolling into March of the 2020 breeding season when suddenly the March 9 indictment in New York of trainer Jason Servis on charges related to performance-enhancing drugs brought everything to a dead stop.
"We virtually have zero support," said John Sikura, president of Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa, where the 6-year-old son of Kantharos entered stud at $15,000 last year. "If someone does something wrong, then they need to be punished. If you willfully cheat, then you need to be thrown out of the sport, but this horse has been unfairly punished; to effectively burn him at the stake is unfair."
Servis and trainer Jorge Navarro were among 27 trainers, veterinarians, and others indicted in federal court on the charges related to the illegal manufacturing, labeling, and distribution of alleged performance-enhancing drugs and the secret administration of adulterated and misbranded PEDs to the racehorses under the trainers' and vets' care.
The indictment alleges that on or about May 8, 2019, trainer Jason Servis discussed with assistant trainer Henry Argueta, "the concealment from racing officials of a PED that they intended to administer to racehorse World of Trouble." Argueta, who also was indicted, allegedly assisted Servis in obtaining and administering performance-enhancing drugs.
That discussion allegedly took place in between World of Trouble's victories in his final two career starts in 2019: the May 3 Twin Spires Turf Sprint Stakes presented by MassMutual (G2T) at Churchill Downs and the June 8 Jaipur Invitational Stakes (G1T) at Belmont Park.
The indictment also specifically alleged that a designer, performance-enhancing substance was administered to multiple grade 1 winner and 2019 champion 3-year-old male Maximum Security , who started his racing career with Servis in 2018. The 5-year-old son of New Year's Day and three-time grade 1 winner and victor of the inaugural $20 million Saudi Cup enters stud this year at Ashford Stud.
World of Trouble began his career with trainer Kathleen O'Connell first for owner/breeder Darsan and then with owner Michael Dubb. In his debut at 2, the colt won a 5 1/2-furlong maiden claiming race at Gulfstream Park by 14 lengths. He became stakes placed in his second start as part of Dubb's stable with a second by half-a-length in the FTBOA Florida Sire Affirmed Stakes.
By his third start in the Pasco Stakes, which he won by 13 3/4 lengths, World of Trouble was with Servis. The horse raced through June of his 4-year-old year when he won the Carter Handicap (G1) on the main track at Aqueduct Racetrack and the Jaipur at Belmont. A foot bruise derailed plans to race World of Trouble in the 2019 Breeders' Cup World Championships, so he was retired. World of Trouble finished second in the 2018 Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1T) by a neck to Stormy Liberal.
Hoping to compel breeders to reconsider World of Trouble through an objective lens, Sikura published Jan. 27 on Twitter a letter to the industry defending the legitimacy of the horse's ability as a racehorse and his potential as a sire.
READ: An Open Letter from Hill 'n' Dale President John Sikura
"I feel compelled to make this defense of a horse whose reputation and talent have been tainted by a false assumption that his speed, courage, and will to win was injected into his veins from a vial," Sikura stated in his letter. "Those traits coursed through World of Trouble's veins well before he was ever transferred to his now-disgraced trainer. I encourage anyone evaluating World of Trouble as a stallion prospect to focus on the facts."
In his letter, Sikura noted that World of Trouble's winning debut by open lengths was with O'Connell and was a common feat among many successful sires. Hill 'n' Dale stallions Curlin won first out by 12 3/4 lengths, Kantharos by 11 3/4 lengths, Ghostzapper by nine lengths, and Maclean's Music by 7 1/4 lengths. Candy Ride , who began his stud career at Hill 'n' Dale and now stands at Lane's End, won his debut by 12 lengths.
Sikura also noted that World of Trouble's improvement at 4 mirrors the trajectory of other successful horses in the pedigree. Half brother Money Or Love was a multiple stakes winner at 5. Bucchero , a son of Kantharos out of World of Trouble's second dam Meetmeontime, won the Woodford Stakes Presented by Keeneland Select (G2T) at 5 and 6.
"I would suggest maturity was responsible for this progression, not performance-enhancing drugs," Sikura wrote.
In addition to tackling the perceptions surrounding Servis with "objectivity and logic," Sikura cut in half World of Trouble's 2021 stud fee to $7,500.
"I don't think there is a horse of his equal that stands at this fee, and we eagerly anticipate his first foals from a stellar book of 121 mares," Sikura wrote. "We have a well-earned reputation of being candid, transparent, and fair dealers for more than 30 years. I ask for your support."
As noted earlier, the indictments have the potential to affect other new stallions of 2021—Maximum Security and Buck Pond Farm's Shancelot , who was trained by Navarro.
Buck Pond owner Doug Arnold said he knows people talk about Shancelot's connection to Navarro but it isn't stopping breeders from buying seasons.
"I'm not worried about it," Arnold said. "I know this family really well, and everybody who has been around this horse knows how fast he was. There isn't a drug out there to make a horse run this fast."
A multiple grade 1-placed, grade 2 winner, Shancelot won the 6 1/2-furlong Amsterdam Stakes (G2) by 12 1/2 lengths in 1:14.01. His performance earned a 121 Beyer Speed Figure and a 122 Equibase Speed Figure. His Beyer was the fastest by a 3-year-old sprinter since 1993. Shancelot is out of the Is It True stakes winner True Kiss, who is a half sister to grade 1 winner Silver Max.
"Shancelot has the raw material. He has the balance and the athleticism," Arnold continued. "It's no different with Maximum Security. You look at him and he looks like a superior racehorse, pure and simple."
