Code of Honor Has First Work Since Gold Cup at Belmont

W.S. Farish's Code of Honor resumed serious business the morning of Oct. 12 with an easy half-mile move in :50.65 over a fast main track at Belmont Park. 

Trained by Hall of Famer Shug McGaughey, the homebred 3-year-old son of Noble Mission  logged his first serious breeze since being elevated to first in the Jockey Club Gold Cup Stakes (G1) following the disqualification of Vino Rosso . 

"I thought he looked great," McGaughey said of the frontrunner for champion 3-year-old male. "We're just getting him started again and he went off easy, finished up well, galloped out great, and came back in good order. So we'll come back next weekend and get a solid work into him."

McGaughey said he expects to see a stronger work next week out of Code of Honor, the veteran conditioner's fourth winner in both the Runhappy Travers Stakes (G1) and Jockey Club Gold Cup. 

"(Saturday) was just something to get him going again, and I'll come back and do more with him next weekend and blow him out and then send him to California and run him," McGaughey said.

A victory in the Nov. 2 Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) would make Code of Honor the 13th 3-year-old to win the 1 1/4-mile event, which has been won by eventual 3-year-old champions Arrogate  (2016), American Pharoah  (2015), Curlin  (2007), Tiznow  (2000), A.P. Indy (1992), and Sunday Silence (1989). 

Trainer Carlos Martin saw just what he wanted out of Come Dancing in her second work following her Gallant Bloom Handicap (G2) victory. With Rajiv Maragh up, she drilled five furlongs in 1:00 2/5 Saturday morning over the Belmont Park training track. It was the fastest of 14 works at the distance. 

Owned by Blue Devil Racing Stable, the 5-year-old Malibu Moon  mare remains on target for the $1 million Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint (G1) at Santa Anita Park.

"She was smooth. Just really, really comfortable," Martin said. "She just does things so easily. Rajiv just nudged her a little bit, and she just took off. I wanted to get a decent work into her but not squeeze the lemon dry and still have some time for the Breeders' Cup. I wanted to go between a minute and 1:01 and just get her to finish a bit the last eighth, and she did that. I think they got her last quarter in 23 and 1, but she really did it the right way. She didn't draw a breath after, cooled out really sensationally."

Martin said the Gallant Bloom effort wasn't too taxing for Come Dancing.

"It doesn't seem that way. I wasn't going to run her," Martin said. "I was just going to train her up to the Breeders' Cup, but she has just been really thriving. It seems like the best time of year to be thriving, when it counts the most. She seems to be getting better and stronger."

Crystalle, trained by John Kimmel for owners Tobey Morton and Chuck Hovitz, breezed four furlongs on the Belmont inner turf in :50.04 in company with promising maiden winner Famished (:50.77) Sunday.

"It was a very good work. … They finished with good energy. They both have similar running styles," Kimmel said. 

A 2-year-old daughter of Palace Malice , Crystalle will make her next start in the Nov. 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1T) traveling one mile at Santa Anita. Kimmel said the slight turn back in distance will be a factor for the late-running filly, who will be piloted by Joel Rosario.

"It's a concern. It's a big field, so the pace scenario will be legitimate," Kimmel said. "I've been watching the races out there, and they go, so hopefully Joel, who has ridden out there for many years, can put her in a position where she has a legitimate chance of closing into it because we know she won't be carving out any fractions on the front end."

Crystalle finished second in the Sept. 29 Miss Grillo Stakes (G2T) last time out. Kimmel said a slow pace severely hampered any chances she had of winning.

"It's one of those things where you scratch your head. Why was the horse so far out of it with a moderate pace scenario up front?" Kimmel said. "Obviously, with the slow pace, they were going to quicken significantly, and she had to close into a slow pace scenario. She actually closed very well, running the last quarter in :22.17, and got beat three-quarters of a length and was by the winner in the next jump or so. 

"She needs to be a little more tactful, especially out in California," Kimmel added. "Hopefully, Joel will be cognizant of that. He knows that track. She came out of that race really well. I know there's more to be had there if he had asked her a little sooner."