Heart of Honor

Connections

Owner: Jim And Claire Limited
Breeders: David Redvers Bloodstock
Trainer: Jamie Osborne
Jockey: Saffie Osborne

Heart of Honor: 2025 Preakness Stakes Contender Profile

Heart of Honor, a 3-year-old dark bay or brown colt by Honor A.P. out of Ruby Love, enters the 2025 Preakness Stakes with a competitive 2-for-6 record, including a strong second-place finish in the UAE Derby (G2) on April 5, 2025, at Meydan. Trained by Jamie Osborne and ridden by his daughter Saffie Osborne, Heart of Honor has shown remarkable consistency, finishing in the top two in all six of his starts, with two wins and four seconds. His international campaign in Dubai, where he won two allowance races and placed in three graded stakes, highlights his versatility and stamina. Sired by Honor A.P., a Grade 1 winner, and out of a Scat Daddy mare, Heart of Honor’s pedigree blends American classic potential with international flair, making him a fascinating contender for the 1 3/16-mile Preakness Stakes at Pimlico on May 17, 2025.

Pedigree

Heart of Honor
├── Sire: Honor A.P.
│   ├── Sire: Honor Code
│   └── Dam: Hollywood Story
└── Dam: Ruby Love
    ├── Sire: Scat Daddy
    └── Dam: Rogue

1st Generation Pedigree

• Sire: Honor A.P.
  Honor A.P., a Grade 1 winner by Honor Code, won the 2020 Santa Anita Derby (G1) and finished second in the 2020 Kentucky Derby. Standing at Lane’s End Farm for $10,000 in 2025, he is an emerging sire whose progeny, including Heart of Honor, show promise at classic distances. Honor A.P.’s combination of speed and stamina, derived from his A.P. Indy lineage, makes him a strong influence for Heart of Honor’s ability to handle the Preakness distance.
• Dam: Ruby Love
  Ruby Love, by Scat Daddy, is a Chilean-bred mare who competed successfully in South America, winning at distances up to 1 mile. As a broodmare, she has produced stakes-placed foals, with Heart of Honor being her standout progeny. Her Scat Daddy lineage adds speed and versatility, complementing Honor A.P.’s stamina, which supports Heart of Honor’s consistent performances at 1 to 1 3/16 miles.

2nd Generation Pedigree

• Honor A.P.’s Parents (Heart of Honor’s Paternal Grandparents)
  Honor A.P.’s sire is Honor Code, a Grade 1 winner by A.P. Indy who won the 2015 Metropolitan Handicap (G1) and Whitney Stakes (G1). A successful sire, Honor Code has produced Honor A.P. and Maxfield (2021 Clark Stakes). His A.P. Indy lineage provides stamina, ideal for classic races like the Preakness. Honor A.P.’s dam is Hollywood Story, by Wild Rush, a Grade 1 winner who earned $1,171,105 and won the 2003 Hollywood Starlet Stakes (G1). Hollywood Story’s durability, with wins at 1 1/16 to 1 1/8 miles, enhances Heart of Honor’s foundation for middle distances.
• Ruby Love’s Parents (Heart of Honor’s Maternal Grandparents)
  Ruby Love’s sire is Scat Daddy, a Grade 1 winner by Johannesburg who won the 2007 Florida Derby (G1) and became a leading sire, producing Justify (2018 Triple Crown winner) and Mendelssohn (2018 UAE Derby winner). Scat Daddy’s progeny excel at 1 to 1 1/4 miles, adding speed and precocity to Heart of Honor’s pedigree. Ruby Love’s dam is Rogue, by Fantastic Light, a mare who raced in Chile and won at 7 furlongs. Rogue’s limited racing record includes stakes-placed siblings, and her Fantastic Light lineage contributes stamina, supporting Heart of Honor’s performances at 1 3/16 miles in the UAE Derby.

Additional Notes on Heart of Honor’s Pedigree

• Paternal Line (Honor A.P.): Honor A.P.’s sire, Honor Code, and grandsire, A.P. Indy, provide a robust foundation of stamina, with A.P. Indy winning the 1992 Belmont Stakes and siring classic winners like Rags to Riches. Hollywood Story’s Wild Rush lineage adds toughness, as she competed successfully for five seasons. This line supports Heart of Honor’s ability to handle the 1 3/16-mile Preakness, as evidenced by his near-miss in the UAE Derby (1:59.61).
• Maternal Line (Ruby Love): Scat Daddy, Ruby Love’s sire, is renowned for speed and versatility, with progeny like Justify dominating American classics and Mendelssohn excelling internationally. Ruby Love’s dam, Rogue, by Fantastic Light, brings stamina through Fantastic Light’s Group 1 wins at 1 1/2 miles, such as the 2001 Breeders’ Cup Turf. Ruby Love’s Chilean racing success at 1 mile, combined with Scat Daddy’s influence, supports Heart of Honor’s consistency at middle distances. The Honor A.P.-Scat Daddy cross blends American classic stamina with international speed, aligning with Heart of Honor’s 2-for-6 record and four second-place finishes.
• Pedigree Fit for the Preakness: Heart of Honor’s 2-for-6 record, with a second in the UAE Derby (G2) at 1 3/16 miles and two allowance wins at 1 mile, demonstrates his suitability for the Preakness distance. His sire Honor A.P.’s Santa Anita Derby win and Scat Daddy’s classic influence, including Mendelssohn’s UAE Derby success, strengthen his case. Heart of Honor’s closing style, shown in his UAE Derby rally, suits Pimlico’s configuration, and his international experience adds a unique dimension.

Heart of Honor’s Race Record

Notes:

• Career Record: 2 wins, 4 seconds, 0 thirds in 6 starts.
• Career Earnings: $340,919.
• Running Style: Versatile closer with a strong late kick, capable of rallying from mid-pack or pressing the pace, as shown in his UAE Derby and allowance wins.
• Heart of Honor began his career in England, finishing second in a 7-furlong allowance race on all-weather at Southwell in October 2024. He moved to Dubai for the 2024-2025 season, winning two 1-mile allowance races and placing second in three graded stakes, including a narrow defeat in the UAE Derby (G2) at 1 3/16 miles. His consistency (never out of the top two) and experience at the Preakness distance make him a dangerous contender.