Honor Marie scores in the Kentucky Jockey Club (G2) Nov. 25 at Churchill Downs (Jenny Doyle/Past The Wire)
The Wine Steward Back on Work Tab, Belmont a Possibility
NYRA Press Office
OZONE PARK, N.Y.— Ribble Farms, Michael Eiserman, Earl Silver, Kenneth Fishbein, and Dave Fishbein’s Honor Marie breezed five furlongs in 1:01.40 Saturday at Churchill Downs as he prepares for the Grade 1, $2 million Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets on June 8 at Saratoga Race Course.
Trained by Whit Beckman, the Honor Code bay was a last-out eighth after a troubled trip in the 1 1/4-mile Grade 1 Kentucky Derby on May 4 at Churchill Downs. There, Honor Marie, who closed for second in the Grade 2 Louisiana Derby in April at Fair Grounds and to win the Kentucky Jockey Club in November at Churchill, was jostled hard at the start and raced in last-of-20 after a half-mile.
Beckman said his colt came away from the frustrating trip in good order and has seemed well going into the Belmont Stakes, which this year will be contested at 1 1/4-miles.
“Despite that tough trip in the Derby, he popped out of that race in fantastic order. We got one more work between now and then,” said Beckman. “If everything goes as well as it has been going, we are planning on shipping up early next week.”
Beckman said Saturday’s work, his second breeze back since the Derby, was well within himself going in company with maiden-winner Anthem King.
“The work went great, kind of a right down the middle five-eighths, 1:01 and change,” said Beckman. “Just what we were looking for: nothing quick, nothing slow, just well within himself. He did it fairly easily with good energy throughout, galloped out in 1:14, came back, cooled out quickly, and looked good.”
Honor Marie, who broke from post 7-of-20 in the Derby, will seek more running room in the Belmont, which Beckman believes could be aided by a smaller field.
“It’s just less horses. The Derby gates open and it’s a cavalry charge. If you catch a position like we were, getting pushed from the inside and outside, getting ping pong-ed, our shot was pretty much blown there,” said Beckman. “I don’t think we got 50 free yards during the whole race to run clear or free. With less horses in the Belmont, I feel like this horse is a very good closer and can run with the best 3-year-olds in the country.”
Honor Marie’s Derby-rider Ben Curtis has been sidelined with an injury, and Beckman said no rider has been named yet for the Belmont mount.
Out of the graded stakes-placed Smart Strike mare Dame Marie, Honor Marie holds a lifetime record of 6-2-2-0 with $526,175 in earnings.
Also on the work tab this morning at Churchill Downs was possible Belmont Stakes contender The Wine Steward, who covered a half-mile in 48 flat.
Trained by Mike Maker for Paradise Farms Corp. and David Staudacher, the New York-bred Vino Rosso colt was last seen finishing a strong second in the Grade 3 Peter Pan on May 11 at Belmont at the Big A.
Bred in the Empire State by Sequel Thoroughbreds, Lakland Farm and Mark Toothaker, The Wine Steward is a dual stakes-winner with additional placings at Keeneland when second in both the Grade 1 Breeders’ Futurity in October and the Grade 3 Lexington in April.
