D'code sets sights on Southwest after big Beyer debut

D’code put up the year’s second-highest Beyer Speed Figure for a 2-year-old when winning his debut Sunday at Oaklawn Park and plans are to advance to one of the track’s Kentucky Derby points races next month, according to trainer Ray Ashford Jr.

D’code earned a Beyer of 99 for winning a maiden special weight at six furlongs, two points below the 101 that Brant earned for his debut win in July at Del Mar. D’code covered six furlongs in 1:09.57 while winning off by more than 8 1/4 lengths under Cristian Torres.

“We knew the horse was pretty nice, but he actually ran a little better than we thought,” Ashford said.

Tom Durant bred and owns D’code, who is a son of Speightstown. He’s from the female family of Voladora, a 10-time stakes winner who earned more than $500,000.

Ashford said D’code is now a candidate for the Grade 3, $1 million Southwest at Oaklawn. The Kentucky Derby points race is run at 1 1/16 miles on Jan. 31.

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“I think Mr. Durant and the team are kind of leaning toward just training the horse right up to the Southwest,” Ashford said.

Ashford said the manner in which D’code has trained and his gallop-out after his debut are reasons to believe he will be effective at two turns.

“And the best news of all is my jockey got off and said ‘I really didn’t even let him run,’ ” Ashford said of Torres. “He said ‘We’ve got a lot more.’ ”

D’code is one of a number of promising young horses Ashford has brought to Oaklawn.

“He’s a big, pretty horse and he’s smart,” Ashford said. “Everything is easy for him. He’s pretty professional. He does everything well.

“Part of the reason we came early is we have him and a couple of pretty nice 2-year-olds, we think. We wanted get here and get them used to the track and get a few works over the track before we started, so we feel like that was a good move.”

D’code is out of the Twirling Candy mare Dos Vinos.

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