John Shirreffs

It's not every year that John Shirreffs, a patient trainer with a small stable of mostly older horses, has a GI Kentucky Derby contender. In fact, the last time most remember him being in the spotlight was with a certain mare named Zenyatta (Street Cry {Ire}), four-time champion and arguably the most popular horse of the 21st century. But with newly-minted Grade I winner Honor A. P. (Honor Code) looking like a leading challenger for the Run for the Roses, Shirreffs joined the TDN Writers' Room presented by Keeneland Wednesday...

Trainer John Shirreffs joins this week's TDN Writers' Room to discuss his recent GI Santa Anita Derby winner and Triple Crown hopeful Honor A.P., as well as a special three-year-old filly named Zellda, the daughter of champion and Hall of Famer Zenyatta.

C R K Stable LLC's Honor A. P. (Honor Code) appeared no worse for wear Sunday morning after making the grade and stamping himself as a top GI Kentucky Derby contender with a decisive win in the GI Santa Anita Derby. "He looks good this morning," trainer Shirreffs said. "It's always a surprise when they run like he ran, because no matter how they look in the mornings or how they're training, they have to perform in the afternoon. "It was very gratifying to see him run that well... It...

Honor A. P. (Honor Code) launched into action four wide into the stretch and powered home a dominating winner of Saturday's rescheduled GI Runhappy Santa Anita Derby. After missing some time with a foot bruise earlier this year, the handsome dark bay made his belated sophomore debut in the GII San Felipe S. Mar. 7, and ran a big one in defeat after making a strong middle move to chase home loose-on-lead wire-to-wire winner Authentic (Into Mischief). Off as the 2-1 second choice to that re-opposing undefeated foe, Honor A....

The late-blooming 5-year-old Midcourt (Midnight Lute) will look to record his first win at the highest level in Saturday's GI Hollywood Gold Cup. The authoritative 2019 GIII Native Diver S. and 2020 GII San Pasqual S. winner was a close third as the 3-5 favorite when last seen going this same 1 1/4-mile distance in the GI Santa Anita H. Mar. 7. Trainer John Shirreffs takes off the blinkers for this. Higher Power (Medaglia d'Oro), fifth in this race last year, broke through in a big way with a dominating...

West Coast heavyweights Authentic (Into Mischief) and Honor A.P. (Honor Code) meet for round two in a highly anticipated renewal of Saturday's GI Runhappy Santa Anita Derby. Authentic made it a perfect three-for-three for Hall of Famer Bob Baffert, posting a powerful 2 1/4-length wire-to-wire decision over Honor A.P. in the GII San Felipe S. Mar. 7. He previously aired by 7 3/4 lengths over stablemate Azul Coast (Super Saver), a next out winner of the El Camino Real Derby at Golden Gate Feb. 15, in the GIII Sham S....

A highly anticipated rematch of the GI Beholder Mile S. is on tap in Sunday's GII Santa Maria S. at Santa Anita. Ce Ce (Elusive Quality), an impressive 3 1/4-length breakthrough winner over 'TDN Rising Star' Hard Not to Love (Hard Spun) in that affair Mar. 14, just got up in time by a head after a very wide trip in a loaded renewal of Oaklawn's GI Apple Blossom H. last time Apr. 18. Also previously under consideration for Belmont's GI Ogden Phipps S. June 13, Ce Ce looks for...

As Honor A. P. (Honor Code) was gearing up for his career debut at Del Mar last summer, owner Lee Searing had some fun with trainer John Shirreffs while inquiring about a potential rider for his stunning $850,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga yearling acquisition. "I asked John, it wasn't like I didn't know, and said, 'Who are you going to be putting on this big horse,'" Searing said of the veteran conditioner widely known for playing his cards close to his vest. "He said, 'Well, I don't know Lee.' As we got...

Budding distaff division star Hard Not to Love (Hard Spun), a winner of three straight and five of six in her young career, will try two turns for the first time as a probable heavy favorite in Saturday's GI Beholder Mile S. at Santa Anita. Starting two-for-two here last year, the $400,000 Keeneland September grad suffered her only defeat when third in the Angels Flight S. May 4. Returning off the bench to capture a local allowance Oct. 25, the 'TDN Rising Star' closed from last to post an 11-1...

'TDN Rising Star' Hard Not to Love was last seen blowing away her competition at 11-1 odds in the GI La Brea S. over this same track and trip Dec. 28, but she likely won't be going off at double digits for awhile, especially after her latest performance. Reined back to last by Mike Smith in a compact field of five, the bay sat perched out wide and within striking distance as the rest of her foes scrambled for position through a :23.04 opening quarter. The favorite began her sweeping...

C R K Stable's Royal Act (American Pharoah), a gritty second to undefeated Thousand Words (Pioneerof the Nile) in the GIII Robert B. Lewis S. Feb. 1 and fellow Lee Searing colorbearer Honor A. P. (Honor Code), an exceptionally impressive maiden winner when last seen over a mile last October, were each out for Saturday morning breezes over the Santa Anita main track. A $500,000 Keeneland September yearling purchase, Royal Act was making his dirt debut in the Lewis and sat a very wide trip, but plugged on gamely to...

Hard Not to Love (Hard Spun), one blemish from being undefeated in her five-race career, will look to validate a scintillating upset of the GI La Brea S. and continue her rapid ascent as a likely short price this time around in Saturday's GII Santa Monica S. at Santa Anita. Debuting with a local front-running score one day short of a year ago, the $400,000 Keeneland September buy repeated in an allowance Apr. 13 before suffering her only career defeat as a well-beaten third in the Angels Flight S. May...