Aqueduct: McGaughey excited about Honor Code's 2014 campaign

Up until Sunday morning, trainer Shug McGaughey had tried to curtail any thoughts of next spring’s Kentucky Derby when it came to his promising 2-year-old, Honor Code.

But the morning after Honor Code showed some heart, coming back on Cairo Prince, who had overtaken him in midstretch, to win Saturday’s Grade 2 Remsen by a nose, McGaughey allowed himself to get excited.

“I was just trying to get through yesterday,” McGaughey said Sunday morning by phone from south Florida, where he returned Saturday night. “When I woke up this morning, I got myself to where I was thinking about it, and I was pretty excited about it. As you know, I want to compete in the big races. This gives us another chance to think about it. I’m not saying he’s going to make it. I’m hoping we make it, but I’m excited about the opportunity.”

This year, McGaughey made the most of his opportunity by winning his first Kentucky Derby with Orb. Honor Code will enter 2014 as perhaps the winter-book favorite for the 140th Run for the Roses on May 3 at Churchill Downs. At Saturday’s close of the first Kentucky Derby Future Wager pool held at Churchill Downs, Honor Code was 10-1, the shortest price among 23 individual betting interests offered. The field, which will comprise all other Triple Crown nominees, was favored at 4-5.

In a Remsen that saw pedestrian fractions, Honor Code, who had closed from last in his first two starts, found himself in second position after three furlongs, stalking Master Lightning. Turning for home, Honor Code had the lead, but Cairo Prince put a half-length in front of him at the eighth pole and looked headed to victory. But Honor Code, under Javier Castellano, battled back along the inside and got his nose on the wire first.

Honor Code ran 1 1/8 miles in 1:52.92 – 0.30 seconds slower than Stopchargingmaria ran the same distance in the Demoiselle for 2-year-old fillies Saturday – but earned an 88 Beyer Speed Figure, while Stopchargingmaria earned a 77.

Whereas Orb entered his 3-year-old season coming off a maiden victory from four starts, Honor Code has two wins and a neck loss in the Grade 1 Champagne as his foundation.

“I think we’re right where we want to be,” McGaughey said. "He’s run three times, [and] he ran good in all three of them. He’s run a mile and an eighth around two turns. I know they ran slow, but they finished in [11.79 seconds for the final furlong]. He’ll grow up a lot off that race.”

McGaughey said Honor Code likely will have two starts before the Kentucky Derby, with the first presumably coming in the $400,000 Fountain of Youth at Gulfstream Park on Feb. 22. But McGaughey didn’t rule out running in races at Fair Grounds or using the Gotham (March 1) and Wood Memorial (April 5), both at Aqueduct, as potential preps.

“There are a lot of places we can go if we do get a curve in the road,” McGaughey said.

Honor Code will take a detour before shipping to Payson Park, the training center where Orb was based. On Sunday, Honor Code left by van for the Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital in Lexington, Ky., where he was to have an undescended testicle removed.

Though Honor Code was announced as a ridgling for the first time Saturday, McGaughey said Honor Code has been one all along.

“All we’re trying to do is eliminate what could be a potential problem,” McGaughey said. “It doesn’t hurt anything. I think that it will help him. I don’t think it’s a huge deal, but it’s something we need to address.”

At some point next year, Honor Code likely will meet Cairo Prince again. Cairo Prince, who had won his first two starts, appeared to be on his way to victory in the Remsen before Honor Code came back on him. Cairo Prince, who as a Grade 2 stakes winner carried six more pounds than Honor Code, raced three to four wide down the backside and was never hit by jockey Luis Saez.

“We ran the best horse, no question about it,” said Kiaran McLaughlin, the trainer of Cairo Prince. “It wasn’t waiting on horses, it was needing to be spanked or hit one time, and he goes on. The jock thought he had it won when he went by him. He’d been wide, and he was carrying six more pounds.

“Difficult situation, but we have one of the best 2-year-olds going forward to the 3-year-old campaign,” McLaughlin added. “But you don’t get that race back.”

McLaughlin said Cairo Prince would ship to Palm Meadows next Saturday and likely would make his 3-year-old debut in the Grade 3, $400,000 Holy Bull Stakes at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 25. The Holy Bull could be the 3-year-old debut for Havana, the Champagne winner and Breeders’ Cup Juvenile runner-up, who already is in Florida.

Wicked Strong, beaten a half-length when third in the Remsen, also is headed to south Florida for the winter, said trainer Jimmy Jerkens, who was encouraged by his colt’s performance.

Referencing the slow early pace, Jerkens said, “They had to have plenty left up ahead of him, and he finished even faster than them, so it’s got to be a good sign.”