Expensive Honour And Glory Looking Like Big Bargain Now

In the walking ring before Thursday’s $104,350 San Miguel Stakes, Michael Tabor was saying that he had paid $410,000 for Honour And Glory last year, before the colt had run in a race.

Tabor thought about that price, then added: “Cheap, now.”

And getting cheaper with every race.

Honour And Glory has run in five races and been a factor every time, even though he was third after a bad start last fall at Belmont Park, and fourth six weeks later in the muddy Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. The other three starts have been wins, and on Thursday, in his first outing since the Breeders’ almost three months ago, Honour And Glory stayed just off the early pace, moved to the lead at the head of the stretch and won the San Miguel by a comfortable two lengths.

Tabor, a British citizen who lives in Monaco, paid a little more for another 2-year-old in 1994. His outlay was $475,000 for Thunder Gulch, who was already well into his racing career, and that colt went on to seven wins and earnings of $2.6 million last year, winning the Kentucky Derby, the Belmont Stakes and an Eclipse Award.

The time for Thursday’s six-furlong race was 1:08 4/5, three-fifths of a second slower than the stakes record and a clocking that surprised jockey Gary Stevens, who rode Thunder Gulch to both of his Triple Crown victories. Honour and Glory’s time for the final eighth of a mile was 11 4/5 seconds.

“When I came back and looked at the board, I was two seconds off,” Stevens said. “It felt like he did it in 1:10 and change.”

The bettors didn’t treat Honour And Glory’s return as a given, sending him off at 11-10 and giving Odin’s Primo, undefeated but making his stakes debut, a solid chance. At 2-1, Odin’s Primo led for a half-mile before winding up fifth in the six-horse field. Afleetaffair, who came running late after being last early, finished second and has been first three times and second twice in five starts.

Valid Expectations, running in his eighth race and in a sixth state, shipped from the Fair Grounds to finish third, beaten by seven lengths. Honour And Glory, who paid $4.20, earned $64,350, sending his total over $300,000. He carried 121 pounds, three to seven more than the others.

The first round of Triple Crown nominations is due Saturday, at a cost of $600 per horse, and trainer Wayne Lukas, who has an unprecedented five-race win streak in the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness and the Belmont, will be sending in the names of several horses, including Honour And Glory.

A year ago, Thunder Gulch’s training as a 3-year-old began at Santa Anita, but his racing foundation started in Florida. Tabor winters in Florida, but Lukas indicated that Honour And Glory probably will remain at Santa Anita, at least for his next race. The choice for that is either the Santa Catalina, at 1 1/16 miles Feb. 4, or the San Rafael at one mile March 2.

“He ran stronger than I anticipated,” Lukas said. “I was guardedly optimistic going in. He was coming back against some very quick horses, and that No. 2 [Valid Expectations] had some recency about him. My horse had just about a picture trip. He pulled Gary to the lead quicker than I thought he would. The horse has a lot of talent, and he should really jump forward off this one.”

Thursday’s race reminded Lukas of the way Honour And Glory ran while winning the Breeders Futurity at Keeneland in October.

“In the Breeders’ Cup, he didn’t get into sync,” Lukas said. “Because of the track, there were a lot of horses at Belmont that day that were in that position.”

Ken Ellenberg, one of the owners of Thunder Gulch before he was sold, bought Honour And Glory at auction as a yearling for $125,000 before Tabor picked up the colt as a 2-year-old.

“He pulled up [after the race] like he hadn’t even run,” Stevens said. “It was an exceptional race. I guess the only question with him is how far he will go. But he’s been a mile and a sixteenth before and run decent. He’s matured physically and mentally, and it’s like being around a different horse.”

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Some more of Lukas’ 3-year-olds will be in action Saturday, with Editor’s Note running against Cobra King in the $75,000 Holy Bull Stakes at Gulfstream Park and the filly Cara Rafaela facing eight opponents in the $200,000 El Camino Real Derby at Bay Meadows.

Editor’s Note, who’ll be ridden by Jerry Bailey, was Lukas’ busiest 2-year-old, running 10 times, winning three and finishing third in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. After the Breeders’ Cup, Editor’s Note went to Churchill Downs and lost by three-quarters of a length to Ide, who ended his season on a five-race winning streak.

Horse Racing Notes

Instead of running in Saturday’s $125,000 El Encino Stakes, undefeated Exotic Wood will be saved for the $125,000 Santa Monica Handicap a week later. The El Encino would have been Exotic Wood’s first try around two turns; the Santa Monica is at seven furlongs, which has been the distance for the last three of the filly’s five wins. Exotic Wood will face Serena’s Song in the Santa Monica, but it will be the Eclipse Award winner’s first start since running fifth in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff. . . . There’s a six-horse field for the El Encino, including some intriguing possibilities in Privity and Sharp Point, fillies better known for running on grass. Others entered are Urbane, the probable favorite, along with Jewel Princess, Sleep Easy and Evil’s Pic. Privity and Sleep Easy will be coupled in the betting.