Asst Trnr Medina:Whitney - Honor Code ‘As Good As It Gets"
Aug 9, 2015 18:04:50 GMT -5
Post by cait on Aug 9, 2015 18:04:50 GMT -5
really good race yesterday - he will be a play in the BCC - shame is he was injured otherwise there would be no "chromies"!!
Assistant Trainer Medina: Whitney Winner Honor Code ‘As Good As It Gets’
by NYRA Press Office
Grade 1, $1.25 million Whitney hero Honor Code emerged from his breakthrough victory in fine fettle, according to Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey’s assistant, Robby Medina.
“He came out great. He’s been standing at the front of his stall all morning, happy and as proud as a horse could be,” said Medina.
The A.P. Indy ridgling dazzled a crowd of nearly 40,000 at Saratoga Race Course on Saturday, running down a stubborn Liam’s Map in a thrilling finish to prevail by a neck in the 88th edition of the Whitney.
While he had proven his brilliance around one turn, including an emphatic 3 ¾-length win in the Grade 1 Met Mile on June 6 and a spectacular debut at the Spa in a seven-furlong maiden race two summers ago, Honor Code had yet to show the same effectiveness around two turns until he stormed down the stretch to give McGaughey his third win in the Whitney.
As impressive as he was in the Met Mile, I thought he was a little more impressive [on Saturday],” said Medina. “I didn’t have any doubts he could stretch out; I have so much faith in the horse. He won going two turns as a baby and he had legitimate excuses in his other two-turn races.”
In his previous two-turn attempt this year, Honor Code lagged well off a tepid pace in the Grade 2, 1 1/16-mile Alysheba at Churchill Downs and closed to finish fifth, beaten six lengths.
“When he got beat at Churchill, he didn’t get hold of that track until late,” said Medina. “He still came home his last quarter in 23 seconds. It looked bad on paper, but he was just spinning his wheels for a while.
“He always packs a punch,” he added. “At Gulfstream [in the Grade 2 Gulfstream Park Handicap] he made up a ton of ground, in the Met Mile he was far back, when he broke his maiden he was 22 lengths back. He looked to be at least 20 lengths back at some point [in the Whitney]. I’ve never seen a horse, at different distances, just keep coming. He’s as good as it gets.”
In addition to the 113 Beyer Speed Figure he earned for his performance, which eclipsed the 112 he recorded in the Met Mile that was then the highest figure achieved by any horse this year, Honor Code’s Whitney victory puts him in rarefied air in the McGaughey barn. McGaughey’s previous two Whitney winners are Hall of Famers Personal Ensign and Easy Goer.
Honor Code is likely to appear next at Belmont Park, possibly in the Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup, with the ultimate goal being the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Classic, according to Medina. The dark bay 4-year-old earned a berth to the Classic for his Whitney score as part of the Breeders’ Cup ‘Win and You’re In’ program.
Assistant Trainer Medina: Whitney Winner Honor Code ‘As Good As It Gets’
by NYRA Press Office
Grade 1, $1.25 million Whitney hero Honor Code emerged from his breakthrough victory in fine fettle, according to Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey’s assistant, Robby Medina.
“He came out great. He’s been standing at the front of his stall all morning, happy and as proud as a horse could be,” said Medina.
The A.P. Indy ridgling dazzled a crowd of nearly 40,000 at Saratoga Race Course on Saturday, running down a stubborn Liam’s Map in a thrilling finish to prevail by a neck in the 88th edition of the Whitney.
While he had proven his brilliance around one turn, including an emphatic 3 ¾-length win in the Grade 1 Met Mile on June 6 and a spectacular debut at the Spa in a seven-furlong maiden race two summers ago, Honor Code had yet to show the same effectiveness around two turns until he stormed down the stretch to give McGaughey his third win in the Whitney.
As impressive as he was in the Met Mile, I thought he was a little more impressive [on Saturday],” said Medina. “I didn’t have any doubts he could stretch out; I have so much faith in the horse. He won going two turns as a baby and he had legitimate excuses in his other two-turn races.”
In his previous two-turn attempt this year, Honor Code lagged well off a tepid pace in the Grade 2, 1 1/16-mile Alysheba at Churchill Downs and closed to finish fifth, beaten six lengths.
“When he got beat at Churchill, he didn’t get hold of that track until late,” said Medina. “He still came home his last quarter in 23 seconds. It looked bad on paper, but he was just spinning his wheels for a while.
“He always packs a punch,” he added. “At Gulfstream [in the Grade 2 Gulfstream Park Handicap] he made up a ton of ground, in the Met Mile he was far back, when he broke his maiden he was 22 lengths back. He looked to be at least 20 lengths back at some point [in the Whitney]. I’ve never seen a horse, at different distances, just keep coming. He’s as good as it gets.”
In addition to the 113 Beyer Speed Figure he earned for his performance, which eclipsed the 112 he recorded in the Met Mile that was then the highest figure achieved by any horse this year, Honor Code’s Whitney victory puts him in rarefied air in the McGaughey barn. McGaughey’s previous two Whitney winners are Hall of Famers Personal Ensign and Easy Goer.
Honor Code is likely to appear next at Belmont Park, possibly in the Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup, with the ultimate goal being the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Classic, according to Medina. The dark bay 4-year-old earned a berth to the Classic for his Whitney score as part of the Breeders’ Cup ‘Win and You’re In’ program.