NYRA/Coglianese Photo

Honor Up looks to extend winning streak in Sunday's Haynesfield

by Brian Bohl

Saratoga Seven Racing Partners' Honor Up will look to notch his third straight win overall while stretching out to a mile when he competes against five other New York-bred 4-year-olds and up in Sunday's fourth running of the $100,000 Haynesfield at Aqueduct Racetrack.

The 4-year-old To Honor and Serve colt has won three of his last four, including a one-length sophomore campaign-closing win against allowance company at 6 ½ furlongs on December 15 at the Big A. In his 2019 bow, the Michelle Nevin trainee earned a personal-best 98 Beyer Speed Figure in rallying from second-last in an eight-horse field to win the Say Florida Sandy by a neck over Haynesfield competitor Syndergaard on January 12 on the same track.

"He looks good and has been doing really well and we're looking for a big effort," Nevin said. "I don't think the distance will be an issue for him. He seems like he can handle it."

Since taking over the training duties from Hall of Fame conditioner Bill Mott, Nevin has seen Honor Up post three wins and a runner-up effort in four starts, with three Beyers of at least 90.

Honor Up, bred by Gainesway Thoroughbreds, will also be back on a familiar Aqueduct surface, where he is 3-2-0 in five career starts, alone with his only stakes win.

"He's a nice, good-looking horse who is really easy to train and be around," Nevin said. "He just keeps improving as he's aged. He's getting better as he goes. We're pretty happy with him."

Jose Lezcano will ride from post 1.

Syndergaard will also look to make a successful stretch out in distance and build on back-to-back quality starts. Owned by Eric Fein, Christopher McKenna, Harris Fein, Guri Singh and Jerry Walia and bred by Burleson Farms, the 5-year-old son of Majesticperfection lost in the final jumps to Honor Up in the Say Florida Sandy on a fast track last month, earning a career-high 98 Beyer.

Under John Terranova, who took over the training duties from Todd Pletcher in the summer of 2018, Syndergaard has been looking to recapture his juvenile form, when he won the 2016 Funny Cide before finishing second to Practical Joke by a nose in that year's Grade 1 Champagne.

"He's continued to progress and getting closer to his top form and hopefully he'll make that jump forward as we go on in the spring," Terranova said. "We just needed a little time to figure him out and get him on the right track."

Syndergaard, named after Mets pitcher Noah Syndergaard, will be cross-entered in Monday's $100,000 Hollie Hughes for state-bred 4-year-olds and up at six furlongs.

"We'll look at both and decide which one to go in, we're not sure yet," Terranova said. "It doesn't seem like [one mile] would be a problem for him. Last race, he got to the front going seven-eighths and was waiting on the competition, then tried to come back on Honor Up and he had the momentum. But I don't think [the distance] will be a problem. 

"We saw him run such a great race in the Champagne at a mile, so he seems to be able to carry his speed," he added. "A mile might be as far as he wants to go, but I don't see it being an issue at this point. I think anything from 6 [furlongs] to a mile, he'll be competitive."

Syndergaard drew post 2 with Rajiv Maragh in the irons.

Trainer Linda Rice will saddle a pair of contenders in four-time stakes winner Loki's Vengeance and Stony Bennett, winner of his last two races, respectively.

Loki's Vengeance, owned by Blue Bison Stable, will be making his 32nd career start having compiled three New York Stallion Series wins and a victory in the 2015 Affirmed Success against state-breds. The 8-year-old son of Frost Giant is 4-2-0 in 10 career starts at Aqueduct. Dylan Davis will ride from post 5.

His stablemate, Stoney Bennett, will be looking for his first stakes win in five attempts, coming closest with a second-place finish in the 2017 Notebook at the Big A. Owned by Roddy Valente, Darlene Bilinski and Richard Alfred, the 4-year-old Bustin Stones gelding will break from post 6 in tandem with Manny Franco.

Twisted Tom, making just his second start since being transferred to Mott's barn, will return to Aqueduct after finishing second by a nose to Mr. Buff - who won the Jazil next out - in the Alex M. Robb on December 29.

As a 3-year-old in 2017, the son of Creative Cause won five stakes and ran sixth in the Belmont Stakes under then-trainer Chad Brown. In December 2018, Twisted Tom came off a four-month layoff to post a personal-best 97 Beyer. 

Owned by Cobra Farm, R.R. Partners and Head of Plains Partners, Twisted Tom will exit post 4 with Junior Alvarado.

Rounding out the field is Silvino Ramirez's Fiery Opal, making his first stakes start in his 21st career race. The 5-year-old Antonio Arriaga trainee drew post 3 with Edwin Rivera set to ride.

First post time for Sunday's 8-race card at Aqueduct is 12:50 p.m.