Gulfstream Park: Honor Code finishes second to an impressive Social Inclusion

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - The eyes of the racing world may have been on Honor Code going into Wednesday’s $75,000 allowance feature at Gulfstream Park, but it was Social Inclusion who stole the show, cruising to a 10-length victory while setting a track record for 1 1/16 miles. Honor Code, sent off at 1-2, finished second.

Social Inclusion received a 111 Beyer Figure, the highest for any 3-year-old this year, for his victory.

With Luis Contreras aboard, Social Inclusion went right to the front as expected from his inside post, was allowed to set modest fractions of 24.32 and 47.52 for the opening half-mile, then steadily extended his advantage over Honor Code through the stretch to remain perfect in two starts. Social Inclusion’s final time of 1:40.97 took .03 seconds off the 1 1/16-mile track record established by Devil’s Cave on Feb. 16.

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

Honor Code, making his first start since outfinishing Cairo Prince to win the Grade 2 Remsen on Nov. 30, was forced wide around the opening turn, moved into an attending position after a half-mile, but couldn't catch the winner. Ridden by Javier Castellano, he finished more than 17 lengths in front of third-place finisher We’re All Set.

“That horse is a freak,” trainer Shug McGaughey said of Social Inclusion, who is trained by Manny Azpurua. “Obviously we’d have liked for [Honor Code] to have won, but that horse of Manny’s is really special. And the way the race set up did not help. The track was playing really fast today.

"I’m disappointed that he didn’t win, but not disappointed in the race. We got a race into him and [Castellano] didn’t kill him by any means. We’ll see if he goes forward off of this.”

McGaughey had mentioned the Florida Derby or more likely the Wood Memorial on April 5 as the likely options for Honor Code’s next start.

Social Inclusion, a son of Pioneerofthe Nile, is owned by the Rontos Racing Stable Corp. He did not make his first start until Feb. 22, winning a six-furlong maiden special weight race by 7 1/2 lengths while earning a Beyer Speed Figure of 93. Social Inclusion raced with Lasix for the first time on Wednesday.

“I’m so pleased the way he’s doing and I believe he’s going to keep improving because he’s really a good horse,” the 85-year-old Azpurua said after the race. “I told my wife before the race he will break out of the gate and they’re never going to catch him. They’ll be 10 lengths behind.”

Azpurua said “everything is on the table” for Social Inclusion’s next start.

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

“I have in my mind two ways to go and we’ll wait to decide which one we’ll pick,” said Azpurua.

When asked if the Florida Derby would be his preferred option considering the success Social Inclusion has had over the Gulfstream surface, Azpurua smiled and said, “I can’t tell you that right now.”