Gulfstream: Honor Code pointing to Fountain of Youth

Trainer Shug McGaughey said he is eyeing a February return for his top Kentucky Derby prospect Honor Code, who will make his 3-year-old debut in the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth here at Gulfstream Park on Feb. 22.

McGaughey said Honor Code has done well since arriving at Payson Park shortly after he closed out his 2-year-old campaign with a game victory over Cairo Prince in the Grade 2 Remsen.

[ROAD TO THE KENTUCKY DERBY: Prep races, point standings, replays]

“He had a real good gallop this morning and the plan is to work him for the first time down here sometime later this week,” McGaughey said Tuesday. “We’ve been in no rush with him, since he won’t run until the Fountain of Youth.”

[Clocker Reports: Get Mike Welsch’s clocker reports from Gulfstream Park and Palm Meadows]

McGaughey won the Fountain of Youth and Grade 1 Florida Derby with Orb as stepping-stones to the colt’s victory in the 2013 Kentucky Derby.
McGaughey also confirmed that Mr Speaker will make his main-track debut a week from Saturday in the Grade 3 Holy Bull.

“The Holy Bull will probably determine what direction we go with him down the road,” said McGaughey. “I worked him behind a couple of horses at Payson and he took the dirt well, so we’ll see what happens. We can always go back to the turf with him if we have to.”

Mr Speaker rallied to an impressive 2 3/4-length victory in the Grade 3 Dania Beach on the turf here in his 2-year-old finale.

McGaughey said Top Billing, the third of his Derby hopefuls, would have a “little work” at Payson on Wednesday and be pointed for another allowance race within the next couple of weeks. Making his second start, Top Billing finished second behind Commissioner going 1 1/8 miles under allowance conditions here earlier this month.