Code of Honor drills for Champagne Stakes

ELMONT, N.Y. – Code of Honor, an impressive debut winner at Saratoga on Aug. 18, worked a fast half-mile in 46.22 seconds Sunday morning over the Belmont Park main track. He is preparing for the Grade 1 Champagne Stakes here on Oct. 6.

McGaughey said he wasn’t necessarily looking for such a fast move – Code of Honor went off in 22.82 seconds – but he noted that the track had been yielding fast times this weekend.

McGaughey said exercise rider Lexi Peaden told him Code of Honor “just fooled me a little bit.”

“He’s worked pretty good over the training at track at Saratoga, too,” McGaughey said.

McGaughey will need a new rider for Code of Honor. John Velazquez, who rode Code of Honor in his debut win, is committed to ride Mind Control, winner of the Grade 1 Hopeful, in the Breeders’ Futurity at Keeneland on the same day.

Mind Control worked a half-mile in 49 seconds Sunday morning at Monmouth Park, picking up a workmate over the last half-mile of what trainer Greg Sacco said was a strong gallop, in which he went the first part in 15 seconds per eighth of a mile.

Call Paul, the Grade 2 Saratoga Special winner, worked a half-mile in 50.92 seconds over the Belmont Park training track in preparation for the Champagne. As he did in his most recent workout, Call Paul was ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr. and sat behind two stablemates early in the move before passing them in midstretch. He also had a strong gallop-out.