Honor A. P. Likely for Del Mar's Shared Belief Stakes

Runhappy Santa Anita Derby (G1) winner Honor A. P. breezed four furlongs in a bullet :47 1/5 at Santa Anita Park June 24 and is likely to make his next start in the $100,000 Shared Belief Stakes at Del Mar, co-owner Lee Searing said.

The 1 1/16-mile Shared Belief is an Aug. 1 qualifier on the Road to the Kentucky Derby, offering points on a 50-20-10-5 scale to the top four finishers. The 3-year-old son of Honor Code  trained by John Shirreffs is ranked second on the Kentucky Derby leaderboard with 120 points, trailing only Belmont Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets (G1) winner Tiz the Law, who has 272 points.

"Honor A. P. came out of the race just great, which as far as I'm concerned is more important than anything," said Searing, who owns him with his wife, Susan, racing as C R K Stable. "Being around John Shirreffs and having him in charge of the ship is just a real treat for me. I think he is very much toward staying local here and giving him his prep race at Del Mar in the Shared Belief. Anything can change, but that appears to be his plan, a good plan."

Honor A. P.'s breeze was his second since the Santa Anita Derby and followed an easy :53 2/5 breeze a week earlier. Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith was aboard for the Wednesday workout, as he has been for all four of the ridgling's races, which have resulted in two wins and two seconds and earnings of $362,200.

Bred in Kentucky by George Krikorian out of the Wild Rush mare Hollywood Story, Honor A. P. was purchased by C R K Stable for $850,000 in 2018 from the Hill 'n' Dale Sales Agency consignment at The Saratoga Sale, Fasig-Tipton's August sale of select yearlings. 

Midcourt, another C R K Stable-owned horse, is also Del Mar-bound. After disappointing in the June 6 Hollywood Gold Cup Stakes (G1) with a distant fifth-place finish, he will look to bounce back in the July 18 San Diego Handicap (G2) at Del Mar, Searing said. 

The 5-year-old gelded son of Midnight Lute  is 2-for-2 at Del Mar. He won an allowance-level race there last summer for Shirreffs and the Native Diver Stakes (G3) in the fall. Searing suggested that blinkers, removed for his last race, could be added back to his racing equipment for the San Diego Handicap.