Honor Code Tops Alysheba Lineup

Lane's End Racing and Dell Ridge Farm's Honor Code will make his long-awaited Churchill Downs debut in the 12th running of the $400,000 Alysheba Stakes (gr. II) on the May 1 Longines Kentucky Oaks (gr. I) undercard.

Trained by Shug McGaughey, Honor Code was on the Triple Crown trail last spring before sustaining an injury that sidelined the son of A.P. Indy—Serena's Cat for more than eight months.

Winner of the 2013 Remsen Stakes (gr. II) for 2-year-olds, Honor Code was found to have a slight tear in his right hind upper suspensory after finishing a distant second to Social Inclusion in his 3-year-old debut at Gulfstream Park. He returned to the races in late November at Aqueduct Racetrack to win an allowance/optional claiming race at 6 1/2 furlongs and won the $300,000 Gulfstream Park Handicap (gr. II) March 7 in his 2015 debut.



Returning to Churchill Downs for the first time since finishing seventh in last year's Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) is Daniel Dougherty's Ride On Curlin. Second in the Preakness Stakes (gr. I) last year to California Chrome, Ride On Curlin will be ridden Friday by Robby Albarado and break from post position four. The son of Curlin   is winless in stakes, but has five graded stakes placings, including a second-place finish in the Arkansas Derby (gr. II) last year.



Also figuring to draw support in the Alysheba are Protonico and Neck 'n Neck, the 1-2 finishers from Keeneland's Ben Ali (gr. III) three weeks ago, and New Orleans Handicap (gr. II) winner Call Me George.



Owned by Sumaya U.S. Stables and trained by Todd Pletcher, Protonico returns to Churchill Downs for the first time since finishing second in last November in the Clark Handicap (gr. I). John Velazquez has the mount and will break from post position two.



Neck 'n Neck, a multiple graded stakes winner owned by A. Stevens Miles Jr., has won four of his six starts at Churchill Downs for trainer Ian Wilkes. He will be ridden by Julien Leparoux and break from post three.



Call Me George, trained by Grant Forster, will be ridden by James Graham and break from post position eight.



The Alysheba is the eighth race with a 3:02 p.m. EDT post time.