Honor Code works in Fog for Whitney

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Fog enveloped the track for the first hour of training Saturday morning at Saratoga, but three contenders for the Grade 1 Whitney Stakes on Aug. 8 put in workouts during that time.

Honor Code, the Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap winner, was the first horse on the track at 5:30 a.m. Only the final sixteenth of a mile of the work could be seen clearly from the front side, but trainer Shug McGaughey said exercise rider Lena Lorieul timed the move on her wristwatch in 1:00.80.

“She said at the five-sixteenths she smooched to him, he jumped right into it and finished well,” McGaughey said.

The work was significantly quicker than Honor Code’s final drill at Belmont Park, where he went five furlongs in 1:04.14 under jockey Javier Castellano.

“He worked fine at Belmont,” McGaughey said. “Javier was afraid to do anything with him.”

Noble Bird, the winner of the Grade 1 Stephen Foster in his last start, worked five furlongs in 59.80 seconds. With jockey Shaun Bridgmohan in the irons, Noble Bird began three to four lengths behind workmate Coastline and finished two in front at the wire. Clockers were able to get his time since one person was positioned on the backstretch and communicated with another in the press box.

“I broke off about five lengths behind. He got a little dirt; he was always in the bridle,” Bridgmohan said. “I had that horse anytime I wanted. I basically sat as long as I could. I didn’t even really ask him. He just went on and drew off and galloped out very well also.”

Despite the likelihood of there being six other Grade 1 winners in the Whitney field – Lea, Tonalist, Honor Code, Moreno, V. E. Day, and Wicked Strong – as well as Liam’s Map, Bridgmohan said he is looking forward to the Whitney.

“He’s a horse with a tremendous amount of talent,” Bridgmohan said. “He’s done everything good so far. I’ve ridden him four times, with three wins and a second. He’s an honest horse, and he tries very hard; looking forward to him running.”

Shortly after Noble Bird worked, Liam’s Map went five furlongs in 1:00.80, going his first eighth in 12.75 seconds.

Trainer Todd Pletcher said Liam’s Map “looked very good, the little that I could see him,” though he acknowledged that circumstances for the early-morning works were less than ideal.

“You never know when it’s going to lift,” he said of the fog. “It’s one of those things that could have lasted all morning, so we figured let’s go ahead and work. It wasn’t ideal, but they all seemed to get through it fine. Based on final times and the feedback from the riders, we got what we wanted.”

Pletcher said he still has not named a rider for Liam’s Map, who is coming off a sharp allowance win at Belmont.

Vanderbilt coming up strong

The fog did eventually lift Saturday morning at Saratoga, and among the prominent workers after the break were Rock Fall and The Big Beast, two sprinters pointing to next Saturday’s Grade 1 Alfred G. Vanderbilt.

Rock Fall, a winner of five straight, including the Grade 2 True North last out, worked four furlongs in 48.60 seconds in company with Golden Lad.

After earning a 110 Beyer Speed Figure in the True North, Rock Fall was kept out of the Belmont Sprint Championship on July 4 because Pletcher wanted to give the colt more time to recover from the True North.

Meanwhile, The Big Beast, last year’s Grade 1 King’s Bishop winner, worked five furlongs in 1:00.20 under jockey John Velazquez, who will ride him for the first time in the Vanderbilt.

“He couldn’t have breezed any better,” trainer Tony Dutrow said. “Johnny was all smiles. I don’t know how he’ll run, but he’s going into this race 100 percent.”

In addition to Rock Fall and The Big Beast, the Vanderbilt is expected to include Salutos Amigos, Clearly Now, and Departing. Palace, last year’s Vanderbilt winner, will be entered in Thursday’s John Morrissey Stakes as well as the Vanderbilt, and trainer Linda Rice will decide after entries in which race to run.