"We knew that he has tactical speed", he said, "and [jockey Mike Smith] can put him pretty much where he wants. On the backside, we hoped he would get comfortable to have a nice little kick in the end, and it all worked out well." Honor A. P. made his next start in the Shared Belief Stakes on August 1. In a field that scratched down to just four horses, he went off as the prohibitive 1-5 favorite. He and the horses on either side of him bumped each other at the start, then chased after early leader Thousand Words in a tight pack. Honor A. P. dropped back a bit on the backstretch then started to improve position on the far turn. However, he could not get by Thousand Words, who won by three-quarters of a length. The 2020 Kentucky Derby had been rescheduled from May 2 to September 5. Of the seventeen horses that went to post, Honor A. P. was the second betting choice at odds of 5–1. Tiz the Law was the heavy favorite based on wins in the Belmont Stakes, Travers Stakes and Florida Derby. Authentic went to the early lead and was able to slow down the pace after a fast opening quarter-mile. Honor A. P. broke slowly and was near the back of the field, some 13 lengths behind Authentic after half a mile. He gradually started to improve position on the turn but was still in ninth place with seven lengths to make up with a quarter-mile remaining. He kept grinding away and closed to finish fourth behind Authentic. Smith said that the colt had not adjusted to the racing surface at Churchill Downs. "He spun out from the word go," said Smith. "Really did." It was later discovered that Honor A. P. had pulled a tendon during the race, resulting in his retirement. Retirement Honor A. P. was retired to stud at Lane's End Farm, where he was moved to the stall formerly occupied by his grandsire, A.P. Indy, who had died earlier in 2020. His first foals will be of racing age in 2024. Pedigree References 2017 racehorse births Racehorses trained in the United States Racehorses bred in Kentucky Thoroughbred family 13-c