Jason J. Servis (born April 2, 1957) is an American trainer of thoroughbred racehorses and a convicted felon. A multiple graded stakes-winning trainer, Servis is best known for having trained Maximum Security, who finished first in the

2019 Kentucky Derby The 2019 Kentucky Derby (officially, the 2019 Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve) was the 145th running of the Kentucky Derby, and took place on Saturday, May 4, 2019, in Louisville, Kentucky. The field was open to 20 horses, who qua ...

but was disqualified for interference. He is a brother of trainer

John Servis John C. Servis (born October 25, 1958, in Charles Town, West Virginia) is an American Thoroughbred racehorse trainer who was relatively unknown until May 2004 when his horse Smarty Jones won the Kentucky Derby. The colt then went on to win the Pr ...

, of

Smarty Jones Smarty Jones (February 28, 2001) is a champion Thoroughbred racehorse who won the 2004 Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes and came second in the Belmont Stakes. Background Born at Fairthorne Farm in Chester County, Pennsylvania, the horse was ...

fame. In March 2020, Servis was arrested after having been indicted along with 27 other people by federal authorities on charges related to manufacturing, procuring, distributing and administering illegal substances to racehorses. Servis'

trial In law, a trial is a coming together of parties to a dispute, to present information (in the form of evidence) in a tribunal, a formal setting with the authority to adjudicate claims or disputes. One form of tribunal is a court. The tribunal, w ...

was scheduled to begin in early 2023, but in December 2022 he accepted a

plea deal A plea bargain, also known as a plea agreement or plea deal, is a legal arrangement in criminal law where the defendant agrees to plead guilty or no contest to a charge in exchange for concessions from the prosecutor. These concessions can include ...

from the U.S. District Attorney's Office by pleading guilty to two new charges of misbranding and adulterating chemical substances intended to be used in racehorses. The original charges, which carried a potential prison term of 25 years, were dropped. On July 26, 2023, Servis was sentenced to four years in prison, fined $30,000, and ordered to pay

restitution Restitution and unjust enrichment is the field of law relating to gains-based recovery. In contrast with damages (the law of compensation), restitution is a claim or remedy requiring a defendant to give up benefits wrongfully obtained. Liability ...

. He began serving his sentence on November 1, 2023 at FPC Pensacola.

References

1957 births Living people American racehorse trainers Sportspeople from Charles Town, West Virginia {{US-horseracing-bio-stub