Honor A. P. on Target for June 6 Santa Anita Derby

Following a runner-up finish in the March 7 San Felipe Stakes (G2) by Honor A. P. behind undefeated Authentic, a rematch appears to loom June 6 in the $400,000 Santa Anita Derby (G1). 

When COVID-19 put racing on hold at Santa Anita Park for more than seven weeks, the John Shirreffs-trained son of Honor Code  went into a holding pattern. A rematch was delayed because the Santa Anita Derby was rescheduled from its original April 4 date.

The Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) at Churchill Downs is even further on the horizon, pushed back until Sept. 5.

"We're back to where we were before the San Felipe," Shirreffs said, alluding to the five-month gap between that race and an Oct. 13 maiden special weight at a mile that Honor A. P. won on the lead by 5 1/4 lengths under Mike Smith. The Hall of Fame jockey has been aboard Honor A. P. in each of the ridgling's three races and will be on again in the 1 1/8-mile Santa Anita Derby. It will be the longest race of Honor A. P.'s career, surpassing the 1 1/16-mile San Felipe.

"He looks really good and he's been training very well," Shirreffs said May 13.

On May 14, Honor A. P. breezed seven furlongs at Santa Anita in 1:26 3/5.

Shirreffs hopes for a better outcome in the Santa Anita Derby against the speedy Authentic, one of three undefeated 3-year-olds trained by Bob Baffert. The others are Arkansas Derby (G1) divisional winners Charlatan and Nadal. 

"Authentic went to the lead (in the San Felipe) and dictated the pace pretty much all the way," Shirreffs said. "Since we weren't racing here, I kind of backed off Honor A. P. a bit and didn't work him too hard, but right now he's training strong and I think he's going to come into the Santa Anita Derby really well."

The Santa Anita Derby provides qualifying points toward the Kentucky Derby on a 100-40-20-10 scale to its top four finishers. 

Honor A. P. is 24th on the Kentucky Derby leaderboard with 20 points, and Authentic is eighth with 60 points. Nadal leads with 150.

Another popular runner for Shirreffs, Hard Not to Love, the one-eyed wonder filly who captured the La Brea Stakes (G1) and the Santa Monica Stakes (G2), both at seven furlongs, is likely to stretch out for the May 31 Santa Maria Stakes (G2) at 1 1/16 miles.

"We're still hoping with her pedigree that she can do two turns," Shirreffs said. "We want to avoid sprinting as much as possible."

Most recently, the daughter of Hard Spun  out of the Vindication mare Loving Vindication was second in the March 14 Beholder Mile Stakes (G1) at Santa Anita to Ce Ce, the return winner of the Apple Blossom Handicap (G1) at Oaklawn Park.