The highly regarded To Honor And Serve was a three-time Graded Stakes winner already, but on November 26 he earned his fourth - this time at the highest level - in the prestigious G1 Cigar Mile Handicap at Aqueduct. He is now the fourth G1 winner from Bernardini's first crop.
In 2011 Live Oak Stud’s three-year-old son posted a dominating victory in the US$1 million G2 Pennsylvania Derby September 24. At two he was credited with impressive victories in the G2 Nashua Stakes and G2 Remsen Stakes.
In the 1600m race To Honor And Serve was up in between horses and settled just off the pace in second. Traveling smartly, he began to take charge at the top of the straight to kick clear for the lead before, holding off all challengers by two lengths.
The son of Bernardini was bred by Twin Creeks Farm, Larry Byer, and Rancho San Miguel. He is out of Stakes winner Pilfer, by Deputy Minister, who is a half-sister to Graded Stakes winner India. Pilfer is also the dam of Common Bond, a two-year-old by Hard Spun.
Bernardini is the leading second-crop sire in the US currently. In addition to To Honor And Serve, his first crop of runners are headlined by G1 Travers Stakes winner Stay Thirsty and juvenile G1 winners A Z Warrior and Biondetti. He is the sire of an oustanding eight G1 horses to date from his first two crops of runners.
Standing the southern hemisphere season at Darley Kelvinside at a fee of $38,500 (inc GST), Bernardini is already the sire of the impressive debut-winning filly Meidung from only a hand full of runners in Australia.
