Greatest Honour breezes half-mile in Florida Derby prep

Greatest Honour turned in the first of his two scheduled works in preparation for the Grade 1 Florida Derby on March 27, breezing an easy half-mile in company Saturday morning at Payson Park.

The work was his first since rallying to a 1 1/2-length victory over Drain the Clock in the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth at Gulfstream Park two weeks ago.

With regular exercise rider Flacco Darrido aboard, Greatest Honour cruised four furlongs in company while kept along the rail throughout in 50.20, according to trainer Shug McGaughey, who said that’s just about what he was expecting from the homebred son of Tapit currently among the leading contenders for the 2021 Kentucky Derby.

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“I didn’t expect anything different, that’s pretty much him and that’s all fine with me,” said McGaughey about 90 minutes after the work. “He’s not a real good work horse. He gets a lot out of what he does galloping. That’s that same kind of work he ran off prior to the Fountain of Youth and Holy Bull.”

McGaughey said he’ll bring Greatest Honour back for something similar next weekend.

“He’ll do the same thing here either next Saturday or Sunday,” McGaughey said. “Right now I see no reason to believe he won’t run in the Florida Derby. At the moment, we’re right on target.”