Code of Honor impresses McGaughey

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Code of Honor, the 2019 Travers and Jockey Club Gold Cup winner, appears to be ahead of schedule in his bid to return to the races this fall.

On Wednesday, Code of Honor worked a half-mile in 50.69 seconds over the Oklahoma training track. It was his second work since being shipped back to trainer Shug McGaughey following a lengthy break. He also worked twice at Niall Brennan’s farm in Ocala, Fla., where he was turned out following a fifth-place finish in the Pegasus World Cup on Jan. 23 at Gulfstream Park.

“I thought he worked unbelievably good the other day,” said McGaughey, noting that Wednesday’s work was originally scheduled to be a three-furlong move. “He likes this little track. He might be a little farther along than I thought he was.”

McGaughey hasn’t isolated a comeback race for Code of Honor, nor has he firmly established fall goals. He did mention taking another shot at the Grade 1 Clark at Churchill Downs in November and possibly the Pegasus at Gulfstream in January 2022.

McGaughey said that Point of Honor, who was pointing to Sunday’s Grade 3 Shuvee, is sidelined due to an injury.

Point of Honor, a 5-year-old daughter of Curlin, won the Grade 2 Black-Eyed Susan in 2019 and has placed in four Grade 1 stakes in her career.