Saratoga

Kelso likely next start for Honor Code

David Grening|Sep 01, 2015

Honor Code works at Saratoga on August 23

Barbara D. Livingston Honor Code breezes a half-mile Aug. 23 at Saratoga. The Kelso is probably the next race for him, but he could instead run in the Jockey Club Gold Cup.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Honor Code, the Metropolitan Handicap and Whitney Stakes winner, will “most likely” make his next start in the Grade 2, $400,000 Kelso Handicap, a one-mile race at Belmont Park on Oct. 3, trainer Shug McGaughey said Tuesday.

In the days following the Aug. 8 Whitney, McGaughey said he was torn between the Kelso and the $1 million Jockey Club Gold Cup, run the same day at 1 1/4 miles.

But McGaughey feels the shorter race may help him get Honor Code to the Breeders’ Cup Classic “the best way I possibly can,” though he has not totally ruled out the Jockey Club.

“I just got to figure out whether I think the Jockey Club Gold Cup is going to take a little sting out of him going a mile and a quarter as opposed to the Kelso putting a little sting in him,” McGaughey said.

Honor Code breezed a half-mile in 49.93 seconds on Aug. 23, but McGaughey decided not to work him last weekend.

“I just want to keep him as fresh as I need to,” McGaughey said. “I’ll breeze him this weekend.”

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