‘Code’ Looks to Find Best Combo in ‘Kelso’
Lanes End Racing and Dell Ridge Farm’s ‘TDN Rising Star’ Honor Code (A.P. Indy) silenced the doubts about his two-turn ability in the GI Whitney S. up at the Spa Aug. 8, and claims the lion share of the market as the 3-5 chalk in this cut back to one turn Saturday. The 2013 GII Remsen S. hero got his season off to a cracking start with a win in the GII Gulfstream Park H. in March using his patented last-to-first tactics, but couldn’t overcome a seven wide trip and checked in fifth in the GII Alysheba S. beneath the Twin Spires May 1. Back to his winning ways with a sharp victory in the GI NYRA.com Metropolitan H. over track-and-trip June 6 one start before the Whitney, the Shug McGaughey trainee gave notice of his rude health with a five panel bullet (1/22) in 1:00 3/5 over this strip Sept. 27. “I was looking for something that would jumpstart him and move him forward,” said McGaughey. “I was worried about the 1 1/4 [miles] in the [GI Jockey Club] Gold Cup taking a little bit out of him, and then I’d have to build him back up again. We’ll see if I’m right or wrong. If it’s an off track, the one thing we’ll have to worry about is if there’s speed in there that doesn’t stop on an off track. He trains on it fine and broke his maiden on an off track.”
Jon and Sarah Kelly’s Red Vine (Candy Ride {Arg}) reported home second in Monmouth’s GIII Salvator Mile S. July 5 before hitting a career high to be third in Beholder (Henny Hughes)’s GI TVG Pacific Classic S. at Del Mar Aug. 22. “It’s very exciting,” said Clement. “I’ve been shipping Red Vine all year long so it’s nice to be able to run him at Belmont, even if it’s going to be a very tough race. I have a tremendous amount of respect for Honor Code, but when I ran Red Vine in the Pacific Classic I thought it was a little bit at the end of the world for him. So maybe he’ll be more efficient at the one-turn mile, but we’ll find out Saturday.”
Peter Miller ships in Del Mar’s GII Pat O’Brien hero Appealing Tale (Tale of the Cat) from the Golden State for Gary Barber. The gelding has been in good form recently with top-two finishes in his last five starts including runner-up efforts in the GI Triple Bend S. at Santa Anita June 27 and the GII San Diego H. extended beyond his best distance going 1 1/16 miles July 25, one start before the Aug. 22 O’Brien.
A force of nature over the Meydan dirt in early 2015 with three group victories including the G2 Godolphin Mile for Shadwell Stable and trainer Musabah Al Muhairi on Dubai World Cup night, Tamarkuz (Speightstown) lost much of his luster when the wheels came off in a pair of unplaced efforts in his first two tries at American dirt–in the GI Metropolitan H. behind Honor Code after making a big middle move when fourth at Belmont June 6 and when sixth with traffic trouble in the GI Forego S. at Saratoga Aug. 29 for conditioner Kiaran McLaughlin. The 5-year-old entire worked an encouraging half mile in :47 4/5 (3/22) at this oval Sept. 25.
Todd Pletcher saddles two starters in the Kelso Saturday in the forms of Aug. 30 GIII Philip H. Iselin S. third-place horse Matterhorn (Tapit) and GI Woodward S. fifth Mylute (Midnight Lute), previously third in the 2013 GI Preakness S.