Code of Honor looks good in breeze for Dwyer Stakes

ELMONT, N.Y. – Trainer Shug McGaughey feels Code of Honor has become the forgotten horse in the 3-year-old division.

Part of that is because since he finished third – elevated to second with the disqualification from first of Maximum Security – in the Kentucky Derby, Code of Honor has not run. But he is training, and on Sunday, he put in a solid five-furlong move in 1:00.33 over the Belmont main track.

Daily Racing Form timed Code of Honor from the half-mile pole to the wire in 48.00, going from the quarter pole to the wire in 23.53 seconds and then from the wire to the 1 3/8-mile pole in 12.33. He galloped out six furlongs in 1:13.97.

Code of Honor is pointing to the Grade 3, $250,000 Dwyer Stakes here on July 6.

“This winter, the more I did with him, the better he liked it,” McGaughey said. “He hasn’t run now in two months; he needed to do something. I think he’s physically grown up a lot.”

Code of Honor won the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth before finishing third in the Florida Derby. In the Kentucky Derby, Code of Honor slipped through along the inside when Maximum Security floated off the rail. Officially, Code of Honor was a head in front at the quarter pole before finishing 2 1/2 lengths behind Maximum Security. He was beaten three-quarters of a length by Country House for second.

Since then, Country House has been sidelined for the remainder of the year, and Maximum Security lost as the 1-20 favorite in the Pegasus Stakes at Monmouth.

“Strange thing is everybody forgot about him,” McGaughey said. “He did get put up to second; he ran good. You hear about this one and that one. Hopefully, maybe in the Dwyer, he’ll open some eyes.”