Appealing Tale Upsets Honor Code in the Kelso
Trainer Shug McGaughey opted to run Honor Code in the Kelso (G2), going the one-turn mile, rather than the Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1). It was an interesting decision that was made more complicated when the Belmont Park racetrack came up sloppy after the New York area was soaked with rain for the prior two days. Add in Appealing Tale, a speedy invader from the west coast, and the result was ripe for an upset.
Appealing Tale came to Belmont off of a gate-to-wire win in the Pat O’Brien (G2) at Del Mar in August. The five-year-old was making his 25th start in the Kelso and had only run on a wet track one other time in his career. He broke his maiden as a juvenile on a sealed wet fast surface at Santa Anita. Today he kept his off-track record perfect when he won while on the lead at every point of the race.
Out of the gate, California rider, Joe Talamo, sent Appealing Tale right to the lead quickly opening up a 1 ½ length lead. Talamo controlled the pace, setting fractions of 23.50, 46.35, and 1:09.89, while maintaining a comfortable lead.
"We had a perfect trip. We went to the front and I kind of let him set his own fractions,” explained Talamo. “Turning for home, I wanted to try and open up a little bit because I knew, obviously, that Honor Code and the horses were coming. But that was just an unbelievable performance. He's only run on a wet track one time in California and he won on it. But obviously, that was a long time ago. I think that was when he broke his maiden. I just loved the way he did it today. He wasn't really keen, he was very relaxed, took a couple of deep breaths around the far turn. I was very impressed with him today."
Meanwhile, rider Javier Castellano had the 3-5 betting favorite Honor Code closer than usual, preventing him from falling too far behind. Coming around the clubhouse turn Castellano swung Honor Code out wide to make his big closing move, but he didn’t have his usual explosive kick.
After the race McGaughey said, "The way things came up, it wasn't his day. He'll be fine [for the Breeders' Cup]. I really thought he would like [the track surface] OK. He's run good in it at Saratoga at times. But, like I said, in the second race, it looked like [speed] was holding a little bit. I got a little bit concerned there. It looked like when he came down on the inside he was struggling a little bit."
The final margin of victory was 1 ¾ lengths for Appealing Tale, who paid $15.20, 4.70, and 3.40. The win was the sixth of his career and increased his earnings to $773,222.
California trainer Peter Miller talked about the victory and the Breeders’ Cup plans for Appealing Tale. "He broke slow, and kind of had to rush up. It wasn't what I was hoping for but once he established himself on the lead he really just ran a great race. Really a super ride from Joe [Talamo] and this win is a credit to our whole team. Stephanie Quarter, my assistant over there, did a great job deputizing. We are all elated. [It's] on to the Breeders' Cup next. We'll cross enter in the Breeders' Cup Sprint and Breeders' Cup [Dirt] Mile but we'll probably lean more on entering in the [Dirt] Mile."