To Honor and Serve went like a freight train and steamed rolled his competition in the $1 million Pennsylvania Derby at Parx Racing
The Bernardini colt is finally coming to his own, as the three-year-old colt, To Honor and Serve, pulled out an impressive performance and dominated the Pennsylvania Derby’s start studded cast to win the Grade 2 $1 million Pennsylvania Derby at Parx Racing
on 24 September, 2011.
Out of Pilfer by Deputy Minister, To Honor and Serve was up against the likes of the Belmont Stakes' winner, Ruler on Ice, Rattlesnake Bridge, Pender Harbour and Rush Now, with others adding up to a field of 9 horses.
Sent off as a 8 to 5 favourite, To Honor and Serve cruised to a dominating 2 ¼ length victory, easily holding off a tame run by Ruler on Ice, as the winner wrapped the 9 furlong distance in 1 minute and 47.34 seconds.
To Honor and Serve’s time broke the record of Selari Sprint which was not far off his track record, set back in 1974, but a new stakes' record, nonetheless.
Anthony Dutrow trained Rush Now was under jockey Kendrick Carmouche, who was there to set the pace, giving To Honor and Serve a perfect target to run at.
Rush Now set brisk fractions of 23.29 seconds for the quarter mile pole, and 46.62 seconds for the half mile marker.
Soon, To Honor and Serve assumed the second position in stalking mode, while Isn’t He Perfect and Norman Asbjornson rallied just behind the favourite.
Next to jump into the fray was Rattlesnake Bridge, and the colt showed some serious intent, but it was time for To Honor and Serve’s easy foray, as he bolted to the front and never looked back.
The Kiaran McLaughlin trained Rattlesnake Bridge was under jockey John Velazquez, but the 3-year-old flattened around the eighth pole, and just then, To Honor and Serve, without an adversary, gained a five length advantage from the rest.
It was a commanding performance by the William Mott trained colt, as he bagged his second win on the trot and his first stakes' win since the Grade 2 Nashua and Grade 2 Remsen, consecutively last fall, at Aqueduct.
The Live Oak Plantation owned colt was expected to be the top 3-year-old horse in his division in the 2011 season, but it took him nine months to get there and now he is doing it in style, living up to the expectations.
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