To Honor and Serve - 2012 Westchester (G3) [01:52]
To Honor and Serve picked up right where he left off in 2011, rolling to an easy 5 ¼-length victory over Boys At Tosconova in Saturday afternoon's Grade 3, $150000 Westchester at Belmont Park. Sent off as the 3-5 favorite in his first start since taking the Grade 1 Cigar Mile Handicap last November at Aqueduct, the 4-year-old Bernardini colt rated comfortably in second as Bold Deed opened up an eight-length lead through an opening half-mile in 45.05 seconds. Cutting into the pacesetter's advantage on the turn, To Honor and Serve took command at the head of the stretch and was never threatened as he galloped to the wire under a hand ride. His winning time for the mile was 1:34.84 over a fast track.
Tags: to honor and serve, nyra, horse racing, belmont park, bill mott, jose lezcano, boys at tosconovan
To Honor and Serve - The Remsen (G2) [02:10]
Promising 2-year-old To Honor and Serve took another step forward Saturday, posting a gate-to-wire victory in the Grade 2, $200000 Remsen at Aqueduct Racetrack. To Honor and Serve, who was entering today's race off a four-length success in the Grade 2 Nashua at the Big A on November 6, broke sharply and was angled over to the rail by John Velazquez on the clubhouse turn. The odds-on favorite received mild pressure from eventual runner-up Mucho Macho Man through a half in 47.69 and three quarters in 1:11.18, began to inch clear entering the lane, and was geared down late as he scored by two comfortable lengths. "I let him do whatever he wanted to do -- I didn't want to be on his mouth," said Velazquez. "He's still a big baby. He gets to the lead, and he gets to looking around. He hasn't put it all together yet." To Honor and Serve returned $3.20 for a $2 win wager as the 3-5 favorite, earned $90000 for his victory, and completed the 1 1/8-mile distance in 1:50.03. The Remsen was the first start around two turns for To Honor and Serve, who broke his maiden by 8 ¾ lengths two starts back at Belmont Park on October 2. "It would have been nice to see him to have to pass somebody, but that's just the way the race turned out," said Hall of Famer Bill Mott, who trains the son of Bernardini for Live Oak Plantation. "I thought in the Nashua it looked like he won a little easier, but this was another eighth of a mile. Being in a two-turn race might have been slightly confusing to ...
Tags: to, honor, and, serve, remsen, nyra, horse, racing, aqueduct