Honor Marie trainer, jockey, owner and more to know about 2024 Kentucky Derby horse

Honor Marie is one of 20 horses expected to enter the 2024 Kentucky Derby on May 4 at Churchill Downs.

Spots for the Run for the Roses are earned by gaining points through a series of Kentucky Derby prep races that began last September.

The post-position draw for the Kentucky Derby is set for Saturday, April 27. Post time for the Kentucky Derby is set for 6:57 p.m. on Saturday, May 4.

Honor Marie will enter the Kentucky Derby off a second-place finish in the Grade 2 Louisiana Derby on March 23 at Fair Grounds. He currently ranks 13th on the Kentucky Derby points leaderboard with 65.

Honor Marie

Color: Bay

Bred in: Kentucky

Sire: Honor Code

Dam: Dame Marie, by Smart Strike

Price tag: $40,000 at 2022 Keeneland September Yearling Sale

Owners: Ribble Farms (Alan Ribble), Michael Eiserman, Earl Silver, Kenneth Fishbein, Dave Fishbein. First Derby for all.

Trainer: Whit Beckman, first Derby.

Jockey: Ben Curtis, first Derby.

Record: 2-2-0 in five starts

Career earnings: $526,175

Road to the Kentucky Derby points: 65 (No. 13)

Last race: Second in Grade 2 Louisiana Derby on March 23 at Fair Grounds, 1 length behind Catching Freedom

Running style: Deep closer

Notes: All three of Honor Marie’s races as a 2-year-old came at Churchill Downs, where he broke his maiden Sept. 29 and won the Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Club on Nov. 25. Honor Marie opened his 3-year-old campaign with a fifth-place showing in the Grade 2 Risen Star on Feb. 17 at Fair Grounds. … Beckman is a Louisville native who worked as an assistant for Todd Pletcher, Eoin Harty and Chad Brown before going out on his own in 2021. Honor Marie was Beckman’s first stakes winner. … Honor Marie returned to the work tab on April 7 at Churchill Downs, breezing four furlongs in 47.80 seconds.

What they’re saying: “We know he’s more comfortable closing,” Beckman said. “Hopefully we don’t end up too deep of a closer and we adjust according to what happens when the gates open. For the most part, I know he’s going to be doing his best running late. We just hope everything sets up to give him the best chance possible.”

Jason Frakes: 502-582-4046; jfrakes@courier-journal.com. Follow on X @KentuckyDerbyCJ.

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