Greatest Honour Returns to Tab, Bears Watching Wins
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Photo: Dana Wimpfheimer
Greatest Honour (inside) works with Or’effice March 13 at Payson Park
Courtlandt Farms' Greatest Honour returned to the work tab at Payson Park March 13 in preparation for the $750,000 Curlin Florida Derby Presented by Hill 'n' Dale Farms at Xalapa (G1) coming up March 27 at Gulfstream Park.
Trained by Shug McGaughey, the 3-year-old son of Tapit was timed in :50 1/5, the third-fastest of 21 workouts recorded at the four-furlong distance, while breezing for the first time since capturing the Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2) Feb. 27 at Gulfstream.
"He worked nice—his typical work," McGaughey said. "I think he bounced out of the Fountain of Youth good."
Greatest Honour is 3-for-3 during Gulfstream's championship meet, where he closed from well off the pace to break his maiden Dec. 26, captured the Jan. 30 Holy Bull Stakes (G3), and won the Fountain of Youth, all at 1 1/16 miles.
Saturday afternoon at Gulfstream, McGaughey saddled William Farish's Bears Watching for an impressive 7 3/4-length victory in a maiden special weight race for 3-year-olds. The son of Karakontie is a half brother to Code of Honor.
Bears Watching, making his second start and sent off as the 3-5 favorite in a field of 11, was well placed along the rail before making a four-wide sweep to the lead. The homebred colt ran seven furlongs in 1:22.95 under Jose Ortiz.
"He's my kind of horse, looks-wise and stuff," McGaughey said. "All is good with him."