Honor A.P. © Benoit Photo

C R K Stable’s Honor A.P. worked an impressive five furlongs at 12:45 p.m. today at Del Mar covering the distance in :59.40 under Hall of Fame rider Mike Smith.

The handsome ridgling, a 3-year-old son of Honor Code and a grandson of A.P. Indy, clipped off fractions of  :23.80, :36.00 and :47.40 on a fast Del Mar track in bright sunshine. Trainer John Shirreffs watched the move from the frontside and huddled with Smith – his Derby rider -- afterwards.

Del Mar clocker Toby Turrell, who timed the move, followed the horse through six furlongs in 1:11.40, seven eights in 1:23.80 and a mile time of 1:40.00. “It was a terrific move,” Turrell said. “You could have just as easily given him a six furlong time and his gallop out was outstanding. His seven-furlong time is the best gallop out we’ve seen here this summer.”

Smith and Shirreffs combined to pull off a 50-1 shocker in the 2005 Kentucky Derby with Giacomo. Honor A.P., who has won the Santa Anita Derby this year and most recently was second in Del Mar’s Shared Belief Stakes, is expected to be one of the stronger betting choices for the September 5 Run for the Roses behind the likely overwhelming favorite Tiz the Law.

C R K Stable is the nom du course for Lee and Susan Searing of Clairemont, CA, who have raced horses since 1966 but will be taking their first shot at the Kentucky Derby this year. They paid $850,000 for Honor A.P. at the Saratoga Select Yearling Sale in 2018 and he now has won $382,200 in purses.