Coach Whit Beckman will saddle Honor Marie in the hunt for his first grade 1 win within the Aug. 24 Travers Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course.
Owned by Ribble Farms, Michael Eiserman, Earl Silver, Kenneth Fishbein, and Dave Fishbein, the Honor Code colt will add blinkers and a brand new jockey in Tyler Gaffalione as he appears to enhance upon a deep-closing fourth-place end final out within the June 8 Belmont Stakes (G1).
“Tyler (Gaffalione) has labored him the final 4 works. The horse breezes properly for him and Tyler has an excellent really feel for him now,” Beckman mentioned. “We all know that Tyler is fairly adept at carving out the form of journey that this horse goes to wish.”
Within the Belmont, beneath Florent Geroux, Honor Marie was bumped early and final of 10 by the primary two factors of name whereas 13 lengths off the tempo earlier than closing to complete fourth—5 1/2 lengths again of victorious returning rival Dornoch .
Beckman is aware of his cost can not afford to surrender that a lot floor when he exits put up 6 of eight Saturday in opposition to a star-studded discipline that features Dornoch and the reigning champion 2-year-old male Fierceness to his quick outdoors, in addition to the proficient filly Thorpedo Anna leaving the within put up to the within of grade 1 winner Sierra Leone .
“I began interested by blinkers for him when he was 2. His working type can provide you that heart-attack really feel,” Beckman mentioned of the addition of the French cup headgear. “After the Belmont, I put blinkers on him and it does not change his disposition, he is just a bit extra responsive. Once you ask him, he pops just a little faster the place earlier than you needed to gear him up for it and get him into that, ‘it’s-time-to-go’ mentality.
“I believe they’re going to preserve him just a little nearer,” Beckman added. “I simply don’t desire him to be 14 (lengths) again going into the far flip. I would like him inside seven or eight.”
In 2019, Code of Honor closed to win the Travers from ninth, however simply 5 3/4 lengths off the tempo, thanks partly to an sincere tempo set by Mucho Gusto , who reached the mile in 1:35.49 beneath stress from Invoice Mott’s Tacitus and the Danny Gargan-trained Tax . This 12 months, it could possibly be the Gargan-conditioned Dornoch setting the tempo beneath stress from Tacitus’ full brother Batten Down .
“It appears on paper like there will be sufficient tempo that there might be one thing to run at,” Beckman mentioned. “An epic tempo collapse can be a terrific factor—a mile in 1:35 and alter can be tremendous. However we simply wish to get out of the gate clear and have a pleasant journey and see what we have.
“He’ll depart the gate quietly,” Beckman added. “It appears like there are two fairly quick horses outdoors of us, and within us, simply allow them to clear and get into a pleasant, straightforward journey.”
Whit Beckman (left) faculties with Honor Marie forward of the Belmont Stakes
Honor Marie, listed at 20-1 on the morning line, will arrive on the Travers because the freshest horse within the discipline with 11 weeks between begins.
“He skilled over the Oklahoma this morning. I am simply preserving him contemporary,” Beckman mentioned. “We at all times exit early—early mornings, cooler climate, contemporary observe has at all times been his recreation. The Oklahoma is nearly as good as any observe I’ve ever skilled on. I’ve spent loads of years up right here and I am pleased with how he is doing on it.”
Beckman believes Honor Marie has the flexibility to compete in opposition to this group.
“For me, it might be a testomony to how we have at all times felt about this horse. This horse has put himself in that class as a legit grade 1-type animal,” Beckman mentioned. “Personally, I do not want the validation, however it’s good if you lead a horse into this type of race that the horse can comply with up and hopefully have him do what I do know he can do. For me, the largest thrill comes from seeing how glad the house owners and everybody else might be.
“I bought into this to not practice claiming horses. I wish to practice grade 1 horses,” added Beckman. “Coaching him is a privilege and I have been blessed to have him.”
This press launch has been edited for content material and magnificence by BloodHorse Employees.