Code of Honor, Performer start cranking up again
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Based on their 2019 campaigns, a lot was expected from Code of Honor and Performer in 2020. Little of it has materialized.
Code of Honor, last year’s Travers and Jockey Club Gold Cup winner, has gone 1 for 3 this year and is coming off a fourth in the Grade 1 Whitney on Aug. 1. Performer has not run since winning the Grade 3 Discovery on Nov. 20 at Aqueduct. He suffered an ankle injury that scrapped an anticipated return in the Grade 1 Carter in June.
Trainer Shug McGaughey hit the reset button with both of them.
Monday, both Code of Honor and Performer returned to the work tab, each working three furlongs. Code of Honor went in 38.49 seconds, Performer in 37.03.
If all goes well, Code of Honor could make his next start in the Grade 2 Kelso Handicap on Oct. 3 at Belmont. McGaughey said he hopes to get Performer to the Grade 1 Cigar Mile on Dec. 5 at Aqueduct. From a timing standpoint, the Grade 3, $100,000 Bold Ruler Handicap on Oct. 31 at Belmont could make sense as a comeback race.
“I’m not in any hurry with either one of them,” McGaughey said. “If they don’t make it, they don’t make it. I think both of them will run next year.”