Preparing for a start in the GII Kelso H. over the one-turn mile at Belmont Park Oct. 3, Lane's End Racing and Dell Ridge Farm's 'TDN Rising Star' Honor Code (A.P. Indy) breezed five-eighths of a mile in a smart :59.45 over the Belmont main track Saturday morning. The 4-year-old is coming off a thrilling defeat of recent GI Woodward S. hero Liam's Map (Unbridled's Song) in the GI Whitney S. at Saratoga Aug. 8. Trainer Shug McGaughey is leaning towards the Kelso as opposed to the GI Jockey Club Gold Cup for a final Breeders' Cup prep. Honor Code also won the GI Met Mile over the Kelso course and distance June 7.
“I was very pleased with the way he went [on Saturday],” said McGaughey. “Nothing is ever a definite with racehorses, but [the Kelso] is my preference. I'm hoping that he runs the way he's been running and we can move forward to the Breeders' Cup from there.”
Another McGaughey trainee pointing for a start on Breeders' Cup Saturday is Stuart Janney III's Ironicus (Distorted Humor), who has the GI Mile in his sights off his victory in the GII Bernard Baruch H. Sept. 4. McGaughey said that Ironicus is '50-50′ to train up to the Mile.
“He came back good [out of the Bernard Baruch],” McGaughey commented. “It was a hot day up there and he ran extremely fast, and then he had to ship back down [to Belmont]. My main objective is the Breeders' Cup, so I just want to make sure we're in good shape for that. We banged him back pretty quick [in the Bernard Baruch],” McGaughey added. “I hadn't planned on running him but he was doing so good I said, 'Well, we better go and run him.'”
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