Aqueduct: Honor Code meets Cairo Prince in Remsen Stakes

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – From the time his connections announced that they weren’t running in the Breeders’ Cup, Honor Code’s appearance in Saturday’s Grade 2 Remsen Stakes at Aqueduct became one of the more anticipated races of the fall. While Honor Code figures to be heavily favored in the two-turn, 1 1/8-mile race, he also should get a good test from several in here, led by the undefeated Cairo Prince.

Cairo Prince hadn’t started by the time Honor Code vaulted to the top of many prognosticators’ extremely early Kentucky Derby rankings. But in two starts, Cairo Prince has proven to be very talented himself, making for an intriguing matchup in the Remsen.

Kiaran McLaughlin, who trains Cairo Prince, said he isn’t necessarily looking forward to running against Honor Code, but he isn’t backing down from the challenge either.

“I wish he would go to Florida or Kentucky,” said McLaughlin, who trains Cairo Prince for a group that includes Harvey Clarke, the breeder of 2012 Derby and Preakness winner I’ll Have Another. “We think we have as good a chance as anybody. We like our horse, and he’s doing great, and this is the right spot. As far as stacking up with anybody, we’ll worry about that in the springtime.”

Cairo Prince debuted Oct. 6 – the day after Honor Code was beaten a neck in the Grade 1 Champagne – and won a six-furlong maiden race by 2 3/4 lengths at Belmont Park. He came back to win the Grade 2 Nashua, a one-turn, one-mile race at Aqueduct, getting a clean trip from the outside post in a field of 12 while others, most notably Remsen starter Noble Moon, had traffic trouble.

“We hope he has equally as nice a trip going two turns,” said McLaughlin, whose horse will break from the outside in a nine-horse field. “They’re going to be spread out, and we’re going to be forwardly placed. He’s training great, and we feel like hopefully there are not any issues and we have a good, clean trip.”

McLaughlin said he’s looking forward to stretching out Cairo Prince around two turns.

“We always felt like he’s longer, leggier, and he wants the distance,” McLaughlin said.

Honor Code, trained by Shug McGaughey, also gave the impression that the longer, the better for him. He rallied from 22 lengths back to win his seven-furlong debut in the slop at Saratoga. In the Champagne, under Javier Castellano for the first time, Honor Code was floated seven to eight wide in the stretch before falling a neck short of Havana.

“Javier rode him fine the other day; we were a little victim of circumstances, horses bunching up and coming back,” McGaughey said. “He elected to go to the outside, [the] same thing [Alex Solis on Ride On Curlin] did, and we got carried out farther than we wanted to. It was one of those things that cost him the race, but he’s ridden him once now. I think he’ll have a lot better understanding of what the horse wants than he did the first time.”

McGaughey said he’s pleased with the way Honor Code has trained since the Champagne, having worked five times, including a five-furlong move Sunday over the Belmont training track under extremely cold conditions.

Noble Moon, a son of Malibu Moon trained by Leah Gyarmati, was a front-running winner of his debut at Belmont in September. In the Nashua, he was forced back to last when three horses inside of him came out at the start, yet he made a huge rally to get third.

Noble Moon breaks from the rail Saturday under Solis.

Intense Holiday, trained by Todd Pletcher, finished fourth in the Nashua after encountering some traffic early and winding up on the rail in the stretch. Master Lightning, also trained by Pletcher, likely will be forwardly placed early after racing between horses in the Nashua.

Wicked Strong, a one-mile maiden winner at Belmont, Afleet Accompli, Mental Iceberg, and Matuszak complete the field.