Quote:Code of Honor's flat fourth in his season debut led Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey to ramp up the colt's training in recent weeks, and the move paid off Saturday when the W.S. Farish homebred roared past odds-on favorite Hidden Scroll to win the Grade 2, $400,000 Fountain of Youth Stakes.
Under jockey John Velazquez, the son of Noble Mission remained near the rail while running from the inside post and had held off a rallying Bourbon War by 3/4 of a length in the 2019 Kentucky Derby prep.
Code of Honor's final time for 1 1/16 miles was 1:43.85.
With the victory, McGaughey, who won the 2013 Derby with Orb, has qualified for this year's renewal set for May 4. The Fountain of Youth awarded points on a 50-20-10-5 basis to the Top 4 finishers.
I did not bet this race...I came to it only yesterday afternoon. I did not know the horses and did not know how Code of Honor would run give his situation on paper. he had not run in a long time. came off hat long lay off and fourth in a small fade January . then is trainer worked him very hard mid January to Feb 23
that's a lot of effort in a shorts space. and January 5 to March 2 is 54 day lay off although Code had won his maiden race which proved he can run well fresh.
anyhow I was struck also by #5 horse Vekoma with a very fine pedigree, won his 2 races with a Beyer of over 101 for his last race. he is a stalker Vekoma and I figured he could ride any pace that those guys could set. or he could set one himself and wiyah the field at a mile and one sixteenth
then I tossed the fave #7 Hidden Scroll. the Hard Spun is not your most reliable sire for winning horses..and big time winning horses at the top level. he is just a tad below the real classy guys for producing class winners
the same goes for Curlin, the sire of the #8 Global campaign.
but that's as far as I got with the race. I did not have a chance to get to Code of Honor. I did a while ago..went through his pedigree thoroughly. he's got all he needs to go all the way
so I did not get back to the race today and looking at it thoroughly tonight I would have tossed the 4 also..but I would have played the 7 and 8 in the exotics. I would have played the 5 and the 1 for the win
the only other horse with real class in the race was #11. I will wait till I get the film to see what happened to him
#9 was a toss..#10 also...#6,#3 and #2
too much speed in the race and that rider on the 2 wud go crazy..and he did.
#3 was totally outclassed..no chance! stick him with a fork
#4 sire is dynamite, one of the tops sires currently but his damside is seriously problematic when it comes to class..which is why I tossed him. stick him with a fork
#9 also outclass so hand his fork..let him stick himself
#10 a horse with good form, in the third race of his cycle. good for the exotics
#11 the Grandsire of this horse is the is also the damsire of the winner Code of Honor. and I don't think he ran in the race. he may have been a sort of also eligible who was cut at race time. so was #10
anyhow #11 was a threat to run a good race if he did get in. where is that dam film?..I mean video
#2 Epic Dreamer finished 9th
#3 Gladiator King Dead last
#4 Bourbon War finished 2/second
#6 Signalman one of the race faves/not to me...pedigree outclassed totally/7th
#9 Everfast finished 8th
#10 Frosted Grace he did run in the race/finished tenth second to last
#11 Union Destiny: finished sixth/Ran a very good race
#1 Code of Honor winner
#4 Bourbon war Second
Vekoma Third
Hidden Scroll fourth/Fave exactly where he was supposed to be
Global Campaign Fifth another proper and right finsih/where he was supposed to
I would have lost had I bet on what I knew. I would have the winner and the third place finisher, but I would have tossed the horse that came second.
after I really dug into the pedigrees of the sires of Code of Honor, Galileo/Saddlers Wells, Danehill in there too.. Dixieland Band and his son Dixie Union in on the damside..I kicked myself for ignoring them as much as I have over the years as main track sire influences
the first 3 are powerful grass influences from overseas - England/Europe. but now I know they are powerful main track influences as well
Dixieland Band and Dixie Union have done very well in Triple Crown races, and are not to be ignored in the pedigrees of Tripe Crown contenders/those contenders must be seriously considered..all of them.
I tossed #4 Bourbon War unceremoniously because his damsire is Artie Schiller..a grass influence I hate..perhaps because I expected a lot more from him as a sire...but what he excels at is producing 'bits and pieces' horses: horses that do seconds and thirds and fourths far far more than they actually win races
so I suppose I was right about #4.. except that I did not have him in mind for the exotics at all, which on record of performance should have been my first consideration...#4 for all the exotics positions..but not for the win
but maaaaan!!! Saddlers Wells, Galileo, Danehill are truly powerful sires, whose progeny must be carefully considered at all times