Belmont Stakes 2025: Heart of Honor gallops at Saratoga

Heart of Honor, a last-out fifth in the Preakness, visited the main track at Saratoga on Sunday, stretching his legs under traveling assistant Jimmy McCarthy ahead of his start in Saturday’s $2 million Belmont Stakes.

Trained by Jamie Osborne, the Honor A. P. colt finished a close second in all three legs of the UAE Triple Crown including the Grade 3 UAE 2,000 Guineas, the listed Al Bastakiya and a nose second in the UAE Derby (G2). In that race he lost to Admire Daytona, who subsequently finished last in the Kentucky Derby.

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“(Heart of Honor) went a mile, building up into a three-quarter pace,” Osborne said. “He didn’t break any land-speed records, but that was never our intention. He looked to move well, and Jimmy McCarthy was pleased with the feel he gave him.”

The Great Britain-bred $172,341 purchase at the 2024 Arqana 2-year-old breeze-up sale has banked $400,919 through a 7: 2-4-0 record. Heart of Honor will be piloted by Osborne’s daughter Saffie Osborne in the Belmont.