State commission denies appeal from Maximum Security's owners

The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission has denied an appeal filed on behalf of Gary and Mary West, the owners of disqualified 2019 Kentucky Derby participant Maximum Security, according to The Associated Press, via ESPN.

In response to the filing by the Wests' legal representatives, the KHRC reaffirmed that the race stewards' determinations aren't subject to appeal.

"Based on everything that has happened so far, I'm not surprised,'' Gary West said of the rejected appeal. "We'll file suit in whatever the appropriate court is. I don't know the answer to that, but the lawyers that I have retained will know what the appropriate venue is.''

Despite finishing first in Saturday evening's big race, an objection review led to Maximum Security's disqualification after stewards determined the three-year-old colt interfered in the paths of its opponents.

"We determined that the (No.) 7 horse (Maximum Security) drifted out and impacted the progress of No. 1 (War of Will), in turn interfering with the 18 (Long Range Roddy) and 21 (Bodexpress). Those horses were all affected, we thought, by the interference," the chief steward of Kentucky Barbara Borden explained after the race. "Therefore, we unanimously determined to disqualify No. 7 and place him behind the 18."

After a lengthy delay, Country House, a long shot, was named the victor, securing the first jewel in the 2019 Triple Crown.

It was the first time in the race's 145-year history that the first-place finisher was disqualified, the Derby's official Twitter account confirmed after the race.