As the racing world waits with baited breath whether Bob Baffert enters his Triple Crown winner; American Pharoah in the Travers Stakes two weeks from today, we saw first hand last Saturday in the Whitney Stakes, the best older thoroughbred in the country! Many including myself, didn't think that Honor Code would have that same late kick going two turns like he did in his Metropolitan Mile victory. But, he proved us all wrong with the patented late close, just getting up at the wire to beat Liam's Map and catapulted himself to the top of the older horse ranks. This is no surprise to yours truly, I've pegged this son of AP Indy since his debut nearly two years ago at the Spa.
It was a sloppy track on the final Saturday of the meet and in the third race of the day. Shug McGaughey had this first time starter going seven furlongs. Now, Shug is not noted for doing well with his runners first time out. But, this horse just relished the off going and uncharacteristically it was from a come from behind style. Lagging far behind early on, Honor Code rallied up the rail to draw away in the stretch and win by over four lengths. It was a visionally an impressive race, but was it the off track that he excelled on or did this horse have talent?
It was straight to grade I competition in his next start and stretching out to a mile in the Champagne Stakes at Belmont Park where he lost by a neck with his usual late close. He tried his first two turn race in the Remsen Stakes at Aqueduct that Fall and won in a dog fight which he was closer to the pace than usual. It was that race which pointed him to the three year old classics of 2014 and my top pick for the Kentucky Derby. His first race as a three year old at Gulfstream Park, March of 2014 was an eventful one to say the least! He acted up when loaded into the gate and chased a runaway winner finishing a distanced second. After that effort, Honor Code went on the self and never made the Triple Crown races and wouldn't be seen until late in his three year old season.
He came back at Aqueduct and in a sprint, which he returned to his old form and gave hope to his fans as a top handicap horse in the future. At the beginning of this year, redeemed himself at Gulfstream Park, winning the grade II - Gulfstream Park Handicap and once again, coming from the clouds to victory. The Honor Code which I fell in love with at the Spa was back and only good things were yet to come. This is where his running style came into play. Next in the Alysheba Stakes at Churchill Downs going a two turn route, he was compromised by a slow pace. This brought up a big question mark whether Honor Code could get it done in races over a mile.
This did not deter his trainer putting Honor Code back versus grade I competition and his next start would remain at one turn, in the Met Mile. This was his coming out party and with his impressive victory, he was a force in the handicap ranks. Needless to say, I made a lot of money with that victory and his next target would be the Whitney Stakes and a return to two turns. To be honest, I questioned whether he could get the job done and have the same effort going a route as he did going a mile or less. Well, last Saturday he answered that question, in a grade I race versus a stellar field. He stamped himself as the top older handicap horse in the nation with that win.
Honor Code is a horse that has shown that he can; handle any surface either dry or wet, a sprint or a mile and a route test in which the fractions are fast up front. I'm looking forward so much to a match up between the Triple Crown champion; American Pharoah, with his free running style, versus the ultimate closer; Honor Code. It would be something if these two were on a collusion course in the Breeder's Cup Classic at Keeneland this Fall. Only time will tell and you know who I'll be rooting for!
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