Honor Code Likely to Miss Fountain of Youth

HONOR CODE IS UNLIKELY FOR FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH
    GII Remsen S. winner and “TDN Rising Star” Honor Code (A.P. Indy) bruised his back ankles in training and will likely miss the GII Fountain of Youth S. Feb. 22, according to trainer Shug McGaughey. The Lane’s End an Dell Ridge Farm colorbearer, who closed out the early Derby pool as the 10-1 favorite, had been aimed for a seasonal debut in that South Florida affair. “He just bruised up his back ankles a little bit and I just couldn’t get him where I wanted him, so I backed off of him a little,” McGaughey said. “He’s going to be out of training about seven to ten days. He’s going to go back to the track on Friday. We’ll jog him for a few days then we’ll see where we stand.” As for his next race, the conditioner explained, “I would think the Fountain of Youth is not likely, but I’m not completely counting it out–you can never tell what’s going to happen. Where we’ll go, I don’t know. The [GIII] Gotham [S. at Aqueduct Mar. 1] is a possibility. We’ll have to wait and see. Hopefully, everything will be fine.” 
    Stablemate and fellow “TDN Rising Star” Top Billing (Curlin), who became part of the Derby chatter following his allowance win at Gulfstream Park on Saturday, could have a shot at the Fountain of Youth with the absence of Honor Code. “I think we’ll point him towards it,” the conditioner offered. “Whether we run him in it or not, I don’t know, but we’ll point him towards it.”