British-bred Heart of Honor has made his last five starts in Dubai and now tries the United States for the first time. A narrow second in the UAE Derby to Admire Daytona, he carries the hopes of 23-year-old jockey Saffie Osborne.

4. Heart of Honor (12-1)

Post Position: 4
Color/Sex: Dark bay or brown colt
Age: 3
Sire–Dam–Damsire: Honor A. P. – Ruby Love – Scat Daddy
Owner: Jim and Claire Limited
Trainer: Jamie Osborne
Jockey: Saffie Osborne
Record: 6 starts: 2 wins, 4 places, 0 shows
Earnings: $340,919
Typical Running Style: Mid-pack
Last Raced: April 5, 2025 – UAE Derby – Second by a nose
Note: Just missed in UAE Derby but winner was then last in the Kentucky Derby
Quote: “We still don’t know how good he is, because hopefully he’s still improving. Where that leaves us, we’ll find out. We’ve got to roll the dice and see where we are.” – Jimmy McCarthy, assistant trainer

Heart of Honor (12-1) ships in from overseas following a narrow loss in the UAE Derby, where he came up just a nose short in a strong finish. Though the winner of that race failed to fire in the Kentucky Derby, this colt brings a consistent record and the confidence of a European-based team that’s aiming high. Trained by Jamie Osborne and ridden by his daughter Saffie, Heart of Honor has never missed the exacta and continues to improve. He’s a question mark against top U.S. company, but his form and attitude suggest he belongs in the conversation.

BREEDING

Though bred in Great Britain, Heart of Honor has an American-style pedigree.

He is a son of Honor A. P. out of the Scat Daddy mare Ruby Love. Ruby Love was a Group 1 winner in her native Chile but didn’t make much of a splash in the U.S., losing her only two starts for trainer Arnaud Delacour.

Heart of Honor’s only sibling to race, the Violence filly Unrelenting Love, only ran once, finishing third in a low-level maiden claiming race at Timonium.

As a runner Honor A. P. won twice from six starts, the second of those coming in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby. He also finished fourth in the COVID-delayed 2020 Kentucky Derby.

Heart of Honor is Honor A. P.’s leading earner with over $340,000 banked from six starts with two wins and four seconds. Among his US offspring are the multiple stakes winner Glee and two-year-old Romeo, who recently broke his maiden at first asking by 10 ¼ lengths at Laurel.