Honor Code starts working in earnest

ELMONT, N.Y. – With nine weeks between races, trainer Shug McGaughey did not feel it was necessary to do too much too soon with his Grade 1 winner Honor Code in order to have him ready for the $1.25 million Whitney Stakes on Aug. 8 at Saratoga.

So, in the first 30 days after his Met Mile victory Honor Code had just one work, a half-mile move in 49.44 seconds June 20. Tuesday, Honor Code had his second work since the race, a three-furlong move timed by Belmont clockers in 36.81 over the main track.

“That’s fine,” McGaughey said after Tuesday’s workout, one he moved up by a day due to forecasted rains Tuesday night and Wednesday. “We’ll come back and get caught up with him on Sunday or Monday.”

McGaughey said he realized following the June 20 workout that he didn’t need to hammer down on Honor Code once a week leading up to the Whitney.

“He gets a lot out of what he does every day,” McGaughey said.

Following Honor Code’s next work, McGaughey will ship the ridgling to Saratoga where he will continue preparations for the Whitney, which, based on early indications, is coming up a gem of a race.

In addition to Honor Code, there are five other Grade 1 winners pointing to the Whitney: Noble Bird and Lea, the one-two finishers in the Stephen Foster at Churchill Downs; Moreno, last year’s Whitney winner; Tonalist, the 2014 Belmont Stakes and Jockey Club Gold Cup winner; and V. E. Day, the 2014 Travers winner. Liam’s Map, a winner of four straight, and Suburban winner Effinex also are being considered for the Whitney.

Lea, who won the Grade 1 Donn at Gulfstream in 2014, worked four furlongs in 50.22 on Tuesday over the Oklahoma training track at Saratoga.