McGaughey Sends Honor Code to Met Mile

A day removed from an impressive 2 ¼-length victory by Reload, who was making his first start in over a year, Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey speculated on tentative plans for that winner, as well runners on tap for the upcoming Belmont Stakes Racing Festival.

"I don't have any set plans set for Reload, but he might run in the Forbidden Apple [on July 11]," began McGaughey.  "It might be a good spot for him and give him enough time to get over this. We'll run him there and if he's still in the ballgame maybe one of the races at Saratoga would be next."

Multiple graded stakes winner Honor Code, who began his year with a rousing win in the Grade 2 Gulfstream Park Handicap on March 7, followed by a disappointing fifth-place finish last out in the Grade 2 Alysheba Stakes, will be entered to face a talented and accomplished field in the Grade 1, $1.25 million Metropolitan Handicap on Belmont Stakes Day. The 4-year-old, who made his last start at Belmont as a 2-year-old finishing second by a neck in the Grade 1 Champagne, is set to work tomorrow in preparation for the race.

"Honor Code is doing good," said McGaughey. "He's going to work tomorrow. I don't think he handled the track [in the Alysheba], just got himself where he was out of it and he tried to make a little run in the stretch, but it was over with by then. The Met Mile is a good field, there'll be some speed in there and there'll be some closers, but when you're running for that kind of money they're supposed to be good."

For the Grade 1 Knob Creek Manhattan, McGaughey was still keeping Imagining under consideration; but was noncommittal about plans before seeing him work over the turf course Sunday morning.

"I don't know yet if I want to or not. He's going to work tomorrow morning and I'm a little on the fence there," commented McGaughey.

Other runners for the inaugural Belmont Stakes Racing Festival from the McGaughey barn that will workout on the Belmont turf course tomorrow morning include J Wonder, the 4-year-old filly who will be making her third start in the country after beginning her career in Europe pointing to the Grade 1, Longines Just A Game and Reflecting for the Belmont Gold Cup Invitational on Friday, June 5.

Source: NYRA