BC Juvenile next for Complexity, Code of Honor, Standard Deviation

ELMONT, N.Y. – Complexity, the sharp winner of Saturday’s Grade 1, $500,000 Champagne Stakes at Belmont Park, and Standard Deviation, third in Saturday’s Grade 1, $500,000 Breeders’ Futurity at Keeneland, both will be pointed to the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile on Nov. 2 at Churchill Downs, trainer Chad Brown said Sunday morning.

Complexity earned a fees-paid berth in the Juvenile with his front-running, three-length victory over Code of Honor in the Champagne. Under Jose Ortiz, Complexity jumped from the gate running, carved out quick fractions and kept on going, covering a mile in 1:34.63 and even galloping out strongly afterward. He was assigned a 94 Beyer Speed Figure.

Since he’s by the speedy stallion Maclean’s Music, Complexity’s ability to get the two turns and 1 1/16 miles of the Juvenile will be scrutinized from now until race day. Complexity is a half-brother to Valadorna, who finished second in the 2016 Juvenile Fillies.

“I think it’s possible this horse can get an extra sixteenth. Getting around the two turns could be an issue, but honestly, the horse can rate,” Brown said Sunday. “He’s a very kind horse in the morning. I don’t think he needs the lead. On the stretch-out, he probably will end up there, but it’s not like he needs it.”

Standard Deviation finished 6 1/4 lengths behind upset winner Knicks Go in the Breeders’ Futurity. But he had a very wide trip after breaking from post 13.

“Thought he ran well from that post,” Brown said. “Another forward move with him. The horse is still learning and getting better.”

Brown said that Aurelius Maximus, who was fourth in the Champagne, would not move on to the Juvenile.

Also, Brown said that Lookin at Bikinis, who was scheduled to run in the Breeders’ Futurity but was not entered, did not come out of his most recent workout well and will be sidelined for the remainder of the year.

Meanwhile, Network Effect, a debut winner at Saratoga in August who lost some training time due to a temperature, returned to the work tab Sunday, going a half-mile in 48.33 seconds over Belmont’s main track. Brown said he may run Network Effect in the Nashua Stakes at Aqueduct on Nov. 4.

Trainer Shug McGaughey said Code of Honor, the runner-up in the Champagne, will be trained toward the Juvenile, with a decision on whether he’ll run to be made closer to the race.

In the Champagne, Code of Honor stumbled out of the gate and had to rally extremely wide but still finished three lengths clear of third-place finisher Call Paul. McGaughey said Code of Honor had only superficial marks on him from the stumble.

McGaughey said he told owner Will Farish Sr. on Sunday morning, “It might be the best thing if we’re going to run him one more time, maybe just take one big shot in the Breeders’ Cup. If we’re right, we’re right. If we’re wrong, we’re back to square one, take him to Florida and give him a little time.”

In 2013, Farish and McGaughey skipped the Juvenile with Honor Code, who finished second in the Champagne. Honor Code won the Remsen.