To Honor and Serve rolls in stakes-record time in Penn Derby

To Honor and Serve rolls in stakes-record time in Penn
Derby

To Honor and Serve was just a tick off the track record of 1:47 that has stood since 1974 (Nikki Sherman/Equi-Photo) Although the onslaught of Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) preps begins in earnest next weekend, Live Oak Plantation’s TO HONOR AND SERVE (Bernardini) has already thrown down the gauntlet with an authoritative, stakes record-setting victory in Saturday’s $1 million Pennsylvania Derby (G2) at Parx. The Bill Mott trainee missed the spring classics with an injury, but appears intent on making up for lost time. By dismissing the second, third and fourth-place finishers from the Travers S. (G1), To Honor and Serve served notice to Travers winner Stay Thirsty (Bernardini) that the divisional race isn’t over just yet. Sent off as the 8-5 favorite after obliterating older optional claiming rivals at Saratoga on August 26, To Honor and Serve stalked the pacesetter Rush Now (Tiznow) through an opening quarter in :23 1/5, and was parked out wide on the first turn. But jockey Jose Lezcano settled him beautifully on the backstretch, just a length off the leader through splits of :46 3/5 and 1:10 1/5.

To Honor and Serve was still on cruise control when striking the front on the
far turn. Travers runner-up Rattlesnake Bridge (Tapit) tried to rally, but he
was no match for the winner. Opening up rapidly at the top of the stretch, To
Honor and Serve was five lengths clear through a mile in 1:34 3/5.

Then Ruler on Ice (Roman Ruler), the Belmont S. (G1) winner and Travers
fourth, emerged as the only danger. Spotting To Honor and Serve 10 pounds as the
124-pound highweight, Ruler on Ice closed with a rush from well back, but he was
too late.

To Honor and Serve, firmly in command by 2 1/4 lengths, sped 1 1/8 miles in a
new stakes-record time of 1:47 1/5. He eclipsed the former mark of 1:47 3/5
first set by Western Playboy in 1989, prior to the introduction of timing in
hundredths. In 1998, the Mott-trained Rock and Roll posted 1:47.69, and in 2007,
Timber Reserve clocked 1:47.67. The track was playing quite fast, for one race
earlier on Saturday, Royal Currier (Red Bullet) smashed the six-furlong track
record in 1:07 2/5.

Led into the winner’s circle by owner Charlotte Weber, To Honor and Serve
returned $5.20, $3.60 and $2.40.

To Honor and Serve had flown by the time that Ruler on Ice got going (Bill Denver/Equi-Photo) Ruler on Ice, who was tenderly handled by Garrett Gomez in the final strides, crossed the wire 3 1/2 lengths ahead of Rattlesnake Bridge. Another 2 1/2 lengths adrift in fourth came Arthur’s Tale (Bernardini), who had not raced since his near-miss effort in the April 9 Wood Memorial S. (G1). Travers third J W Blue (Sky Mesa) reported home fifth, followed by Norman Asbjornson (Real Quiet), Rush Now, Pender Harbour (Philanthropist) and Isn’t He Perfect (Pleasantly Perfect). A leading contender on the Triple Crown trail after romping in last fall’s Nashua S. (G2) and Remsen S. (G2), To Honor and Serve failed to sparkle when reappearing at Gulfstream Park. The highly-regarded bay was a lackluster third in the February 26 Fountain of Youth S. (G2), and the expected improvement never came when an identical third in the April 3 Florida Derby (G1). He was subsequently diagnosed with a suspensory injury and given time to heal.

To Honor and Serve returned to action nearly four months later in the August
1 Amsterdam S. (G2) at 6 1/2 furlongs, the shortest race of his career, and
faded to sixth after arguing a torrid early pace. Back up in trip to 1 1/8 miles
last time on Travers Eve, To Honor and Serve again mixed it up on the front end,
but kept on going en route to an 8 1/4-length rout. It conjured up thoughts of
what might have been, had he been ready to take on the division’s elite in the
Travers. His Pennsylvania Derby heroics improved his mark to 9-5-1-2 while
bringing him to the verge of millionaire status with $996,340 in earnings.

Bred in Kentucky by Twin Creeks Farm, Larry Byer and Rancho San Miguel, To
Honor and Serve brought $250,000 as a Keeneland November weanling and $575,000
as a yearling at Keeneland the following September. The second foal from the
stakes-winning Pilfer (Deputy Minister), To Honor and Serve has a juvenile
half-brother named Common Bond (Hard Spun) and a yearling half-brother by Street
Sense. Pilfer herself is a half-sister to Grade 2 winner India (Hennessy) and
current Irish stakes victress Sing Softly (Hennessy), who missed narrowly in the
Nell Gwyn S. (Eng-G3) earlier this season.

This is the extended family of champion turf male Sunshine Forever (Roberto),
champion turf female Ryafan (Lear Fan), Canadian champion Rahy’s Attorney (Crown
Attorney), Grade 1 winners Brian’s Time (Roberto) and Memories of Silver (Silver
Hawk), and noted sire Dynaformer (Roberto), among other luminaries.