John Shirreffs | Horse Racing Free Tips

Frontrunning Fighting Mad Tops ‘Win And You’re In’ Zenyatta Stakes

An impressive gate to wire winner of her last two starts, the Gary and Mary West homebred Fighting Mad looms a standout in Sunday's Grade 2, $200,000 Zenyatta Stakes at Santa Anita. The Zenyatta, to be contested at a mile and one sixteenth, has attracted a field of five fillies and mares aged three and up.

Trainer Simon Callaghan's Harvest Moon, a 3-year-old daughter of Uncle Mo, has won her last three starts and is an up and comer that will attract considerable pari-mutuel attention. Hard Not to Love, a Grade 1 winner and well accomplished, comes off a dull sixth behind Fighting Mad in the Grade 1 Clement Hirsch at Del Mar and will hope to rebound for trainer John Shirreffs.

Named for the legendary winner of the 2009 Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Classic at Santa Anita who then became Horse of the Year in 2010 for owners Jerry and Ann Moss and trainer John Shirreffs, the Zenyatta is a Breeders' Cup “Win & You're In” Challenge Race qualifier to the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Distaff at Keeneland on Nov. 7.

FIGHTING MAD

Owner: Gary & Mary West

Trainer: Bob Baffert

Ridden aggressively on the lead going a mile and one sixteenth in her last two starts by Abel Cedillo, she took the Grade 2 Santa Maria Stakes by 3 ¼ lengths on May 31 and prevailed by a half length in the Grade 1 Hirsch on Aug. 2. A winner of five out her eight starts, this 4-year-old daughter of New Year's Day is at the top of her game and looms strictly the horse to beat in the Zenyatta.

HARVEST MOON

Owner: Alice Bamford & Michael B. Tabor

Trainer: Simon Callaghan

A one mile maiden winner in her second start on July 20 at Los Alamitos, she then rallied to win a first condition allowance at the same distance by 4 ¼ lengths on July 27 at Del Mar. Off again as the 3-2 favorite, she responded with a solid 1 ¼ length score in the Grade 3, one mile Torrey Pines Stakes Aug. 22 and looms a very legitimate danger on Sunday. With Flavien Prat set to ride for the fourth consecutive time, Harvest, who has won three out of her four races, looms a legitimate threat.

HARD NOT TO LOVE

Owner: Mercedes Stables LLC, West Point Thoroughbreds, Scott Dilworth, Dorothy & David Ingordo, Steve Mooney

Trainer: John Shirreffs

Often quirky in the paddock and on the racetrack due to the fact she only has the use of one eye, Hard Not to Love will try to bounce back from a 13 ¼ length drubbing at the hands of Fighting Mad in the Aug. 2 Clement Hirsch. Second, beaten 3 ¼ lengths by Fighting Mad two starts back in the Grade 2 Santa Maria, Hard Not to Love, a 4-year-old Ontario, Canadian-bred filly by Hard Spun is winless in three two turn starts since taking the Grade 2, seven furlong Santa Monica Stakes on Feb. 15.

THE GRADE 2 ZENYATTA STAKES WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 4 of 11 Approximate post time 2 p.m. PT

Fighting Mad—Luis Saez—126
Proud Emma—Ricardo Gonzalez—122
Harvest Moon—Flavien Prat—118
Hang a Star—Tyler Baze—122
Hard Not to Love—Mike Smith—122

First post time for an 11-race card on Sunday is at 12:30 p.m. Although there is no public admittance, Santa Anita's races can be viewed free of charge via the track's livestream video at santaanita.com

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Maximum Security Faces Stablemate Improbable, Shirreffs-Trained Midcourt In Awesome Again

Unbeaten in two starts for Bob Baffert, Gary and Mary West's homebred Maximum Security, roundly regarded as the best in training today, heads a field of field of five 3-year-olds and up going a mile and one eighth in Saturday's Grade I, $300,000 Awesome Again Stakes at Santa Anita.

A two-time stakes winner at Del Mar this past summer, Maximum Security comes off a huge three length win in the Grade I Pacific Classic on Aug. 22 and will once again be a prohibitive favorite in what will be his 13th career start.

Baffert's Improbable, a Grade I winner of the Whitney Stakes at Saratoga Aug. 1, earned a career-best Beyer Speed figure of 106 and will be bidding for his third consecutive win.

The John Shirreffs-trained Midcourt, who was beaten a nose by Maximum Security two starts back in the San Diego Handicap, was a well beaten third behind “Max” in the Pacific Classic and will be facing him for the third consecutive time on Saturday.

The Awesome Again, named for the 1998 Breeders' Cup Classic winner that was bred in Ontario, Canada by Frank Stronach and owned by his Stronach Stables, is a Breeders' Cup “Win and You're In” Challenge Race qualifier, with the winner earning a fees-paid berth into the Grade I, $6 million Breeders' Cup Classic at Keeneland on Nov. 7.

MAXIMUM SECURITY

Owner: Gary & Mary West, Mrs. John Magnier, Michael B. Tabor & Derrick Smith

Trainer: Bob Baffert

Immensely talented but star-crossed, this 4-year-old colt by New Year's Day appears to be thriving in Baffert's care. Ridden in his two Del Mar starts by Abel Cedillo, he'll be reunited with eastern-based Luis Saez, who has finished first on him in six out of seven starts, most recently in Saudi Arabia, where he took the $20 million Saudi Cup by three quarters of a length. Although the Saudi Cup results remain official, Maximum Security's purse earnings remain on-hold as an investigation into his original trainer Jason Servis continues. Adding to his hard-luck resume is the fact he became the only Kentucky Derby winner to ever be disqualified for a racing infraction in the 2019 Derby, a race he won by 1 ¾ lengths with Saez aboard. An official winner of 10 out of his 12 starts, Maximum Security has banked $12.1 million and will be making his first-ever start at Santa Anita.

IMPROBABLE

Owner: WinStar Farm, LLC, China Horse Club Intl., Ltd and SF Racing, LLC

Trainer: Bob Baffert

The 4-1 post time favorite in the 2019 Kentucky Derby, he finished fifth, beaten 3 ¼ lengths by Maximum Security. A winner two starts back of the Grade I Hollywood Gold Cup, run at Santa Anita on June 6, he'll be reunited with Drayden Van Dyke, who did not ride him at Saratoga. Van Dyke has won aboard Improbable in five out their seven pairings, including his Gold Cup win. A winner of six out of his 13 starts, Improbable, a 4-year-old colt by City Zip, has earnings of $1.5 million.

MIDCOURT

Owner: C R K Stable, LLC

Trainer: John Shirreffs

Although narrowly beaten two starts back in the San Diego Handicap, this 5-year-old gelding by Midnight Lute was no match for Maximum Security in the Pacific Classic when third. A shining testament to Shirreffs' horsemanship, Midcourt has been able to overcome his idiosyncrasies, including bad manners in post parade. If his mind is right, he rates an upset chance over a track on which he is 8-3-1-2.

THE GRADE I AWESOME AGAIN STAKES WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 10 of 11 Approximate post time 5 p.m. PT

Take the One O One—Jose Valdivia, Jr.—122
Improbable—Drayden Van Dyke—126
Sleepy Eyes Todd—Umberto Rispoli—124
Midcourt—Victor Espinoza—124
Maximum Security—Luis Saez—126

First post time for an 11-race card on Saturday is at 12:30 p.m. With no public admittance, fans are encouraged to follow Santa Anita's live video stream at santaanita.com.

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Honor A. P. Retired, Ships To Lane’s End Tuesday

The GI Santa Anita Derby winner, Honor A. P. (Honor Code–Hollywood Story, by Wild Rush) has been retired following a fourth-place finish in the GI Kentucky Derby during which he suffered an injury, according to trainer John Shirreffs. He is scheduled to arrive at Lane’s End Farm Tuesday afternoon to take up stud duties.

The 3-year-old colt retires as the top earner of his leading second-crop sire Honor Code.

In his most recent start, Honor A. P. dealt with an unlucky trip to finish a closing fourth in the Kentucky Derby, posting a 99 Beyer and traveling the furthest distance of all the horses in the field, according to data from Trakus.

“Honor A. P. is a horse with an immense talent,” said Shirreffs. “He was so forward and precocious that he broke his maiden second time out by over five lengths going two turns. Honor A. P. showed brilliance as a 2-year-old from the first time I saw him train and replicated it as a 3-year-old defeating the future Kentucky Derby winner. He ran a super race in the Derby and we later found that he came out of the race with an injury, so all things considered, what he accomplished was something special.”

As a 2-year-old, Honor A. P. broke his maiden at Santa Anita by over five lengths posting a 91 Beyer, one of the highest of his generation. His first start as a 3-year-old was in graded stakes company when he finished second in the GII San Felipe S. In his next start, he won the GI Santa Anita Derby, posting a 102 Beyer and becoming the only horse to defeat subsequent Kentucky Derby winner Authentic (Into Mischief) while also defeating GII Pat Day Mile S. winner Rushie (Liam’s Map). In his next start, the Shared Belief S., he posted another 102 Beyer making him one of four 3-year-old colts in 2020 to post multiple triple-digit Beyers beyond a mile.

“Honor A. P. was a ‘wow’ horse from the beginning. He was the highest priced yearling in Honor Code’s first crop. He was a standout 2-year-old at April Mayberry’s, and the most recognizable horse in training at Santa Anita,” said Lane’s End’s Bill Farish. “His stunning good looks paired with his obvious talent make him just the type of prospect we are looking for at Lane’s End.”

Honor A. P. is out of the multiple Grade I winner Hollywood Story, who earned $1,171,105 in her career, and he is a half-sibling to three black-type winners. Hollywood Story is by Wild Rush, making Honor A. P.’s pedigree free of Mr. Prospector on his dam’s side to five generations. His sire Honor Code is one of just four second-crop sires including Liam’s Map and Constitution to produce a Grade I winner in 2020. To date, Honor A. P. is Honor Code’s highest-priced yearling, earning a final bid of $850,000 from David Ingordo for Lee and Susan Searing’s CRK Stable at the 2018 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale.

“Like any owner in this game, Susan and I have long dreamt about having a leading Derby contender,” said Lee Searing. “Honor A. P. has given us the journey of a lifetime and we are excited to stay involved in his next career as a stallion where we know he’ll be in great hands at Lane’s End.”

Honor A. P. will be available for inspection at Lane’s End farm in the coming weeks and a stud fee will be determined.

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Grade 1 Winner Honor A. P. Retired Due To Injury; To Stand At Lane’s End

Lane's End farm announced today that Honor A. P. will retire from racing and stand the 2021 season at their Versailles farm. The 3-year-old colt retires as a Grade 1 winner and the top earner of his leading second-crop sire Honor Code.

In his most recent start, Honor A. P. dealt with an unlucky trip to finish a quickening fourth in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby, posting a 99 Beyer and traveling an incredible 49 more feet than the winner Authentic. This in turn means that the colt ran the fastest race of the field when accounting for ground loss.

“Honor A. P. is a horse with an immense talent,” said trainer John Shirreffs. “He was so forward and precocious that he broke his maiden second time out by over five lengths going two turns. Honor A. P. showed brilliance as a 2-year-old from the first time I saw him train and replicated it as a 3-year-old defeating the future Kentucky Derby winner. He ran a super race in the Derby and we later found that he came out of the race with an injury, so all things considered, what he accomplished was something special.”

As a 2-year-old, Honor A. P. broke his maiden at Santa Anita by over five lengths posting a 91 Beyer, one of the highest of his generation. His first start as a 3-year-old was in graded stakes company when he finished second in the G2 San Felipe Stakes. In his next start, he won the G1 Santa Anita Derby posting a 102 Beyer, becoming the only horse to defeat subsequent Kentucky Derby winner Authentic while also defeating G2 Pat Day Mile Stakes winner Rushie. The G1 Santa Anita Derby has long produced breed-shaping sires with past winners including A.P. Indy, Sunday Silence, Affirmed, Pioneerof the Nile and more. In his next start, the Shared Belief Stakes, he posted another 102 Beyer making him one of four 3-year-old colts in 2020 to post multiple triple-digit Beyers beyond a mile.

“Honor A. P. was a 'wow' horse from the beginning. He was the highest priced yearling in Honor Code's first crop. He was a standout 2-year-old at April Mayberry's, and the most recognizable horse in training at Santa Anita,” said Bill Farish. “His stunning good looks paired with his obvious talent make him just the type of prospect we are looking for at Lane's End.”

Honor A. P. is out of the multiple Grade 1 winner Hollywood Story, who earned $1,171,105 in her career and he is a half-sibling to three black-type winners. Hollywood Story is by Wild Rush, making Honor A. P.'s pedigree free of Mr. Prospector on his dam's side to five generations. His sire Honor Code is one of just four second-crop sires including Liam's Map and Constitution to produce a Grade 1 winner in 2020. To date, Honor A. P. is Honor Code's highest priced yearling commanding a final bid of $850,000 from David Ingordo for Lee and Susan Searing's CRK Stable at the 2018 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale.

Honor A. P. will be available for inspection at Lane's End farm in the coming weeks and a stud fee will be determined.

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