Code of Honor wraps up Florida Derby prep

INDIANTOWN GAP, Fla. – With cows mooing in the background and the mosquitos buzzing around the clocker stand, Fountain of Youth winner Code of Honor turned in his final prep for Saturday’s $1 million Florida Derby on Monday, going four furlongs in 48.40 seconds shortly after dawn in the bucolic setting at Payson Park.

With regular exercise rider Haladio Moreno aboard, Code of Honor was very keen as he approached the half-mile pole but quickly settled into a nice, relaxed, even stride, posting early splits of 12.18 and 24.13 seconds en route to his final clocking before galloping out five furlongs in 1:02.34. The work was decidedly quicker than Code of Honor’s final breeze of a half-mile in 49.60 five days prior to his three-quarter-length decision over Bourbon War in the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth on March 2.

“I asked him for 49 and he went 48 and 3 or so,” said trainer Shug McGaughey. “Both his works since his last start were very good. He went 1:01 last time and I just wanted to sharpen him up a little bit today going a half. He’s had a good winter since Jan. 1. I like what I’ve seen from him physically and I like what I saw today. All systems are very good right now. I think we’re in pretty good shape.”

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McGaughey finds himself in pretty much the exact same position with Code of Honor as he did six years ago with Orb, who came into the Florida Derby off a similarly orchestrated half-length triumph in the Fountain of Youth. Orb went on to win the Florida Derby by 2 3/4 widening lengths as a prelude to his triumph in the Kentucky Derby five weeks later.

“It’s hard to compare him with Orb,” said McGaughey. “Orb was the kind of horse I sort of had to learn about from race to race. I think I was kind of surprised – even though he was doing very well, especially the Fountain of Youth – with what we had. He was sort of more a laborer. I think this horse is more efficient at what he does, has more get up and go when you need it than Orb had.”

Code of Honor was the last of many potential Florida Derby candidates to work over the past several mornings.

On Saturday, Holy Bull winner Harvey Wallbanger topped the list of at least four potential Florida Derby starters to work at Gulfstream Park, turning in the bullet half-mile in 47.02 seconds on a very busy tab shortly after the track opened for training at 5:15 a.m. He was followed, in order, several hours later by Garter and Tie (five furlongs in 1:02.22), Come On Gerry (five furlongs in 1:02.49), and Everfast (five furlongs in 1:02.21).

Trainer Ralph Nicks declared Garter and Tie a definite starter in the Florida Derby following his work, which came without blinkers on Saturday. Garter and Tie has been idle since a sixth-place finish in the Holy Bull.

“The work was good. We wanted a little maintenance five-eighths,” said Nicks. “We gave him a little freshening in between the last two starts and we just wanted to stretch his legs, put some air in him, and we’ll see how he handles a mile and eighth.”

Nicks said Garter and Tie will race without blinkers in the Florida Derby.

“His numbers have not been quite as good in his two-turn races as his one-turn races, but he trains like [he’ll get the distance], said Nicks. “We’ll take the blinkers off of him and make a few changes and see how it goes.”

The prospective Florida Derby lineup lost one potential starter but likely gained another on Sunday. Trainer George Weaver said he would hold Fountain of Youth third-place finisher Vekoma out of the race to await the Blue Grass on April 6 at Keeneland. Trainer Todd Pletcher, on the other hand, said he is now considering starting the lightly raced Overdeliver in the Florida Derby.

Overdeliver, idle since a second-place finish in the seven-furlong Pasco Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs on Jan. 19, worked five furlongs in 1:00.15 in company with Fort Worth on Saturday at Palm Beach Downs. Pletcher said Manny Franco would have the mount if Overdeliver does run in the Florida Derby.

Code of Honor will be joined in the starting gate Saturday by Bourbon War and Hidden Scroll, who finished second and fourth in the Fountain of Youth, along with the undefeated former $16,000 maiden claimer Maximum Security. Union’s Destiny, who rallied from the rear of the field to finish sixth in the Fountain of Youth, and Hard Belle are also under consideration.

Entries for the Florida Derby will be drawn at Gulfstream Park shortly after noon on Wednesday.