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How Good is To Honor and Serve

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  • November 27, 2011 11:33 AM
To Honor and Serve put on a quite the display, November 26, 2011, when he rolled clear of the classy Calibrachoa. The son of Bernardini has been a puzzling this season, to say the least. After his two year old season, he had built up such a reputation that he was made the favorite of the Fountain of Youth Stakes, his three year old debut.
He lost that and his next two starts.

Then, just when he had everyone believing that he had been nothing more than a talented juvenile unable to mature at three, he comes back with a rousing allowance victory. It was brilliant and the time over the tiring Saratoga strip was nothing short of exceptional. He came back, next, in the Pennsylvania Derby, in stakes record breaking fashion. They hype was back, but was soon sliced when the colt failed to threaten in the Breeders’ Cup Classic.

Trainer Bill Mott, undeterred by the 7th place finish, decided to wheel To Honor and Serve back off of only three weeks rest, to run in the Cigar Mile, yesterday. There were questions again, can he pass when faced with quality horses, and is he really top flight? With his performance yesterday To Honor and Serve answered a lot of questions, but he also added one more…Is he just an Aqueduct freak?

To Honor and Serve, based off of his past performances seems to be an Aqueduct version of Quality Road, and who was not just a Gulfstream specialist but a Gulfstream monster. At Aqueduct, To Honor and Serve is top flight, he can pass classy speed horses, he can do anything a great horse is supposed to do.

His win in the Cigar Mile was brilliant, spectacular, awesome, any superlative you can think of, but coming 2012 I want to see him do the same outside of his favorite track. I know he has run big at other tracks, Saratoga and Parx, but I have to point out that he was not facing top flight horses in either start. I want to see him leave me speechless away from home. If he can do that he’s the real deal.
 

 

What the Nation is saying about How Good is To Honor and Serve...

Great points, Laura. I had not realized that THAS had done his best running at Aqueduct, but you're certainly right there. Should be interesting to see what he does next year.
I'd bet $500 he doesn't go undefeated - providing he races all year. No shot.
travel vic, Who do you think can beat this horse at 1 mile ??
Mikew you wouldn't want to wager $500 on his going undefeated with me would you? I would take that wager in an instant.
I think if they can keep him at 1 mile or 1 1/8 miles he will go undefeated next year. dont try the breeders cup classic

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Aqueduct Bernardini Breeders' Cup Classic Breeders' Cup Classic (2011) Calibrachoa Cigar Mile Cigar Mile (2011) Fountain of Youth Fountain of Youth (2011) Gulfstream Park Pennsylvania Derby Pennsylvania Derby (2011) Quality Road To Honor and Serve William I. Mott
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Meet Laura Pugh












 

For as long as i can remember I have always loved horses and writing. The first race I ever watched was War Emblem's Preakness Stakes, but I didn't really start to get into racing until the next year where watched and cheered Empire Maker through the Derby, and yes, the Belmont.

I didn't begin writing until a few years later, when I created my own blog Horsin' Around. It didn't take long for me to realize that my niche was stirring the pot and creating heated debates, especially during the time of Big Brown vs Curlin and Rachel Alexandra vs Zenyatta. I was a Curlin and Rachel fan.

Now I am here under the name of Dead Heat Debates, and hoping to live up to that name. Have fun and let the opinions fly!