It's been quite a few years since I've been excited about a two year runner and it's hopes on the 2014 Kentucky Derby trail next year as a three year old. Especially since the way that Juvenile runners train and point toward stake races from their maiden victories to the First Saturday in May in recent years. In the Breeder's Cup era, only one Juvenile race champion; Street Sense, went on to win the Kentucky Derby . That makes the total 1 for 30 over that span and it means that it takes a special young runner to reproduce his two year form and peak in the biggest race of his career the follow year.
On closing weekend of this year's Saratoga meet in a maiden special race on a very sloppy surface, produced in my opinion a very promising and hopefully future superstar. It was a seven furlong sprint, which regarded by many a tough distance to race for a first time starter. This year's Kentucky Derby winning trainer; Shug McGaughey entered a son of AP Indy, out of the mare; Serena's Cat which both were stakes winners. Now, this two year doesn't come from the usual McGaughey owners like Ogden Phipps or Stewart Janney, Lane's End / Dell Ridge farm owns and bred this runner. Not taking much money like most McGaughey first time starters and sent off at 3-1, Honor Code broke sharply and took far back shortly after the start. On the off-going, he rallied up the inside and drew away at the sixteenth pole in a very sharp and eye opening effort. I've always like Shug's runners and especially horses come from clouds with a move like Honor Code made.
After his maiden breaker, Honor Code pointed for the one mile Champagne Stakes at Belmont Park the first Saturday in October. This time he was the 9-5 favorite and again settled in the rear of the pack after the start. But unlike his maiden breaker up the rail, this time he was spun eight wide at the top of the lane and rallied fast on the far outside just missing. This effort proved that it wasn't just the "off track" he liked in his maiden breaker and also showed with the longer distances stretching out that he would have a future on the Kentucky Derby trail next year. The connections decided after his sharp 2nd in graded stakes company, to skip the Breeder's Cup Juvenile at Santa Anita one month later and point to the two turn Remsen Stakes at Aqueduct next weekend on their Holidayfest card.
Following this sport for nearly 30 years, I never had a knack out of latching on to a talented two year old and then getting him to win the Run for the Roses. I've only managed that in recent years with horses getting better as three year olds on the Derby trail. Only Street Sense has been that exception and that was six years ago. Needless to say, he was the last and only Juvenile champion to replicate that. So, there is a big trend to buck for next year with Honor Code. With what we've seen so far this year with the Juvenile runners, the group is evenly matched with no runner head and shoulders above the rest. Just in the two starts that Honor Code has made, he has the right connections with the right breeding and the exciting running style to be a force next year as a three year old. Next week in the Remsen Stakes here at Aqueduct, going the two-turns for the first time at a mile and an eighth distance; Honor Code just may be the exciting horse that will turn heads next spring leading up to the 2014 Kentucky Derby . I'm already excited and this son of AP Indy may be next favorite horse. A win next week will be a nice send off for the 2013 racing season and something to look forward to next March or so when he returns!
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