Owner Jim Bryce has described his United States adventures with Heart of Honor as "crazy" and is relishing more international trips with his dirt star following a well-earned break.
The Jamie Osborne-trained colt finished fifth of nine when attempting to become the first European-based horse to win the Preakness Stakes (G1) at Pimlico Race Course last month. He remained in the U.S. for this month's Belmont Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course—the final leg of the Triple Crown—but could do no better under Saffie Osborne and was sixth of the eight runners.
Despite finishing out of the places in the two grade 1s, Heart of Honor scooped £80,000 in prize-money and the experience was worthwhile for Bryce, who owns the son of Honor A. P. with his wife Claire.
He said: "Who'd have thought that me and Claire from little old Long Eaton in Derbyshire would have been owning a horse who would be competing in American Classics. It's crazy, but we enjoyed it, and we've been lucky to have the money to spend on it all.
"In Saratoga we had a tour around some of the barns belonging to the big American trainers while Jamie was doing some press duties, and it's such an impressive outfit. I was told that, at its peak, it could hold 4,000 horses in the barns, which blew my mind a bit."
Heart of Honor had run five times at Meydan, including a nose defeat in the UAE Derby (G2) in April, before making the trip to the U.S. He has had seven starts since December and Bryce believes the Belmont Stakes was a step too far.
The owner said: "He got a bit tired, even though he had a better prep than when he went over for the Preakness Stakes. He just looked a bit jaded. We had to do it because we were out there, though it was one race too many.
"It's a shame because if he'd the same prep for the Preakness—with things like stalls training—then he could have been reasonably competitive.
"I think the experience for Heart of Honor has been really good and it's helped him grow up. All that training will help him, and I think we'll start the winter season at Meydan with a much more mature horse. From that point of view, it's massive."
