Code of Honor Set for Westchester Season Debut

Code of Honor's connections always felt the Noble Mission  colt would get better with age.

The time has come to put that theory to the test.

Well-rested since a seventh in the Longines Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) at Santa Anita Park, W.S. Farish's homebred grade 1 winner will make his 4-year-old debut June 6 in the $100,000 Westchester Stakes (G3) at Belmont Park. The race could set the tone for the colt's 2020 campaign, with more prestigious events like the Whitney Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course and the Breeders' Cup Classic at Keeneland on the horizon should all go according to plan.

The recent resumption of racing at Belmont has New York conditioners thrilled to plot a course for their contenders, and Hall of Famer Shug McGaughey is no exception.

"We're looking forward to getting Code of Honor started back Saturday," the trainer said. "We felt like with age and maturity that hopefully he would get even better, and we like what we've seen so far."

The runner-up at Belmont in the Champagne Stakes (G1) as a 2-year-old after a maiden score at Saratoga, Code of Honor returns to a surface he clearly relishes for the 1 1/16-mile Westchester. He also won the Dwyer Stakes (G3) at Belmont in July off a runner-up finish in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1), which came after he won the Xpressbet Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2) at Gulfstream Park. Following the Dwyer, he took the Runhappy Travers Stakes (G1) at Saratoga, then returned to Belmont to add the Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) to his résumé.

Edged by a nose in the latter race by eventual Classic winner Vino Rosso , he was elevated to first via disqualification after stewards ruled Vino Rosso bumped and impeded him.

Code of Honor was rested at Margaux Farm near Lexington after the Classic and returned to McGaughey's winter base at Payson Park in early February.

"He had a very good winter," McGaughey said. "The time off at Margaux was good, he had a very good winter at Payson, he got up here to Belmont, and he's done very well here. He got a couple works in over the track. He's always been very athletic, and now he's had some time to grow up, so we'll see how it goes. It's just about getting him started. We're in it to win, but as long as we can get a good effort out of him where we can move forward, we'll be happy, too."

Code of Honor worked four furlongs June 1 in :49.09 and went the same distance May 23 in :47.88.

Hall of Famer John Velazquez will ride the 6-5 morning-line choice from post 9 in an 11-horse field.

Grade 3 winner Monongahela, formerly trained by Jason Servis, will make his first start for Chad Brown, who enters two in the Westchester. Racing for Michael Dubb, Bethlehem Stables, and Gary Aisquith, the 6-year-old son of K One King comes off a runner-up finish in the Feb. 15 John B. Campbell Stakes at Laurel Park and won the Phillip H. Iselin Stakes (G3) last summer at Monmouth Park.  

Jose Ortiz has the call from post 2, and Kendrick Carmouche rides Brown's other starter, Mr. and Mrs. William Warren Jr.'s Payne, from post 4. The son of Paynter  steps up to stakes company for the first time off three consecutive wins.

Richard Malouf's Senior Investment merits watching as he comes in on a three-race win streak for trainer Scott Lake. The 6-year-old son of Discreetly Mine earned a career-high 100 Beyer Speed Figure last out in his 31st start for his five-length score in the March 14 Harrison E. Johnson Memorial at Laurel.

Set to depart post 7 under Jorge Vargas Jr., Senior Investment returns to Belmont for the first time since a fifth in the 2017 Belmont Stakes (G1). He was also third in the Preakness Stakes (G1).

Michael and Jeff Fazio's Joevia also returns to Belmont Park for the first time since a Belmont Stakes run; he was third in 2019. Trained by Gregg Sacco, the Shanghai Bobby colt underwent successful surgery to correct a breathing issue following a seventh in the March 7 Stymie Stakes at Aqueduct Racetrack. Junior Alvarado has the call from post 6.

"He's training terrific. The breathing issues seem to be behind him," Sacco said. "By the way he's training, his gallop outs and his mental attitude right now—he's all there."

Godolphin's Endorsed will return to stakes company for the first time since a fifth in the March 7 Santa Anita Handicap (G1). The 4-year-old son of Medaglia d'Oro  was transferred to the care of Hall of Famer Bill Mott upon the retirement of Kiaran McLaughlin and posted a half-length win in his first start for him May 2 at Oaklawn Park.

Joel Rosario will ride from the inside post.

Rounding out the field are Backsideofthemoon, Prendimi, Mihos, Wait for It, and Forewarned.

Entries: Westchester S. (G3)

Belmont Park, Saturday, June 06, 2020, Race 7

• Grade III
• 1 1/16m
• Dirt
• $100,000
• 4 yo's & up
• 4:32 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Endorsed (KY)	Joel Rosario	120	William I. Mott	6/1
2	2Monongahela (PA)	Jose L. Ortiz	118	Chad C. Brown	4/1
3	3Mihos (KY)	Irad Ortiz, Jr.	118	James A. Jerkens	10/1
4	4Payne (KY)	Kendrick Carmouche	118	Chad C. Brown	8/1
5	5Prendimi (NJ)	Reylu Gutierrez	118	Chad Summers	50/1
6	6Joevia (KY)	Junior Alvarado	118	Gregory D. Sacco	20/1
7	7Senior Investment (KY)	Jorge A. Vargas, Jr.	122	Scott A. Lake	10/1
8	8Forewarned (OH)	Manuel Franco	118	Uriah St. Lewis	30/1
9	9Code of Honor (KY)	John R. Velazquez	124	Claude R. McGaughey III	6/5
10	10Wait for It (PA)	Mychel J. Sanchez	118	Edward J. Coletti, Jr.	20/1
11	11Backsideofthemoon (KY)	Eric Cancel	118	Robert P. Klesaris	20/1