Noble Tune News: Honor Code Soars To Victory In Gr2 Gulfstream

Noble Tune News: Honor Code Soars To Victory In Gr2 Gulfstream

Lane’s End Racing and Dell Ridge Farm’s Honor Code, a half-brother to Gr2 and Gr3 winning Noble Tune, in his first start of 2015 saw him mow down the front-runners with a strong rally to capture the $300,000 Gr2 Gulfstream Park Handicap.

With Javier Castellano riding for trainer Shug McGaughey, Honor Code was well back early through legitimate fractions in the one-turn-mile event before launching his bid entering the stretch. He blew past Private Zone and Valid, the second and third place finishers respectively, who dueled for command throughout.

Honor Code, a four year old ridgling by A.P. Indy out of the Storm Cat mare Serena’s Cat, was bred in Kentucky by Dell Ridge Farm.

Honor Code, who won the 2013 Remsen Stakes Gr2 for two year olds, was considered a contender for the 2014 Triple Crown. But after a distant second-place finish to Social Inclusion in his three year old debut at Gulfstream, he was found to have a slight tear in his right hind upper suspensory. He returned to the races in late November at Aqueduct Racetrack to win an allowance race at 6 1/2 furlongs.

In the Gulfstream Park Handicap, favored Private Zone, who won the Gr1 Cigar Mile in his last start in November 2014, grabbed the early lead with Valid pressing to his outside.

The pair continued their duel into the stretch with the others several lengths behind, but as the paced slowed Honor Code had the most momentum. He surged past to take the race by a half length over a game Private Zone, who had the same margin on Valid. Wicked Strong, who sat third behind the dueling leaders throughout, finished fourth.

The time for one mile on a fast track was 1:36.37.

“I was ready to go home (after the break),” McGaughey said. “I was watching it on TV, and down the backside there wasn’t a ‘1’ on there for a long time. Then I saw him swing to the outside. It was the same thing when he broke his maiden at Saratoga. I was watching on TV there and he wasn’t ever in the picture and I was thinking up excuses already.

“At the eighth pole I thought maybe he was going to hang a little bit. But then he switched to his right lead and he came on. To see him run a race like that; this was only his second race in a year, we’ve all got to remember that. To see him come back and run the way he did and dig down, and from the five-sixteenths pole to the wire to run as hard as he did and then gallop out as well as he did, it’s a tribute to the horse.”

Said Castellano: “I didn’t mind (being far back), because he’s a come-from-behind horse and the pace set up perfect for him. Private Zone and Valid hooked up together all the way. At the three-eighths pole he turned around and just took off at the top of the stretch. It was amazing the way he did it; very strong.”

Honor Code, who in his debut at two rallied from 22 lengths behind to win easily at Saratoga Race Course, also finished second, beaten a neck by Havana, in the 2014 Gr1 Champagne Stakes at Belmont Park.

Broodmare Serena’s Cat, a grand daughter of the great Serena’s Song, had her weanling filly by Tapit sell for a record-breaking $3-million at the Keeneland November sale.

Covering a quality book of mares in his first season at Rathmor Stud, Noble Tune’s [pictured left] first foals are due in 2015.