Performer stretching out in allowance

ELMONT, N.Y. – Code of Honor may be the most high-profile 3-year-old in trainer Shug McGaughey’s barn, but he is far from being the only talented one.

Performer, a son of Speightstown, has won both his starts this year. Sunday, he will try to stretch out in distance when he runs 1 1/16 miles in a second-level allowance that goes as race 7 on Belmont Park’s nine-race card.

After finishing third in his debut last Nov. 18 at Aqueduct, Performer came back “all banged up,” McGaughey said, and was given the winter off. He returned to the races in late June, winning a six-furlong race at Belmont by three-quarters of a length. He then cleared the first-level allowance hurdle, winning a 6 1/2-furlong race against 11 rivals at Saratoga by one length on Aug. 24.

Asked about stretching Performer out in distance, McGaughey said: “He acts like that’s what he wants to do. His maiden race and the race at Saratoga wasn’t what he wanted to do.”

McGaughey said that should Performer handle the added distance, he would most likely become a candidate for the Grade 3 Discovery Nov. 30 at Aqueduct.

Other 3-year-olds entered in Sunday’s allowance, for 3-year-olds and up, include Mihos, who won the Mucho Macho Man Stakes around one turn at Gulfstream in January, and Grumps Little Tots, who finished third but was placed second via disqualification in the Easy Goer Stakes here on June 8.

Mrs. Danvers out for the year

The 2-year-old filly Mrs. Danvers, a second-out winner at Saratoga in August, will miss the remainder of her juvenile campaign after having a chip removed from an ankle this week, McGaughey said Friday.

Mrs. Danvers, a daughter of Tapit, is getting turned out for 60 days and will rejoin McGaughey’s stable during the winter in South Florida.

Mrs. Danvers finished third in her debut after a poor start. She came back to win a 6 1/2-furlong maiden race by 1 1/4 lengths with an 82 Beyer. She had been under consideration for the Grade 1 Frizette here on Oct. 6.