The $150,000 Pegasus Stakes at Monmouth Park on Sunday took on added significance Thursday when trainer Jason Servis entered Florida Derby winner Maximum Security in the 1 1/16-mile race for 3-year-olds. The Pegasus will be the first start for Maximum Security since he crossed the finish line first in the Kentucky Derby and then was disqualified to 17th following a 22-minute review of the race by the stewards.

Servis has had the Pegasus on his radar as Maximum Security’s comeback race for weeks but last Sunday said he was not entirely pleased with the colt’s condition. He has been closely monitoring the son of New Year’s Day ever since and has been non-committal about whether he would run in the Father’s Day race.

Bloodwork taken from Maximum Security came back fine Tuesday afternoon and on Wednesday he galloped 1 1/8 miles. On Thursday, Servis watched him gallop and then decided to enter him.

“He’s going to run,” Servis said Thursday. “The horse had a really good day today and I don’t see a reason why we shouldn’t run.

“Maybe I was over-reading things a little too much, trying to be overly cautious. He’s acting really good and training good and his bloodwork came back good. So maybe I was just over-reacting a little bit.”

Maximum Security will start from post 2 in the Pegasus. Luis Saez will be back aboard. He is 1-2 on the morning line. Servis also entered Direct Order in the six-horse field.

Servis’ major upcoming goals for Maximum Security are the Grade 1 Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park on July 20 and the Grade 1 Travers at Saratoga on Aug. 24.

The timing of the Pegasus fits well with those plans. The race comes 43 days after the Kentucky Derby and 44 days prior to the Haskell. There are 35 days between the Haskell and the Travers.

Maximum Security has crossed the finish line first in all five of his starts, including a $16,000 maiden claimer in his Dec. 20 debut, the Grade 1 Florida Derby, and the Kentucky Derby.

With the 3-year-old division wide-open as the second half of the season begins, Maximum Security is very much still in contention for an Eclipse Award as 3-year-old champion.

The full field, in post position order, is Last Judgment, no rider, 6-1; Maximum Security; King for a Day, Joe Bravo, 4-1; Identifier, Paco Lopez, 6-1; Direct Order, Nik Juarez, 12-1; and Caladan, Jeremy Rose, 15-1.