W. S. Farish | Horse Racing Free Tips

Code Of Honor ‘All Caught Up,’ Returns From Seven-Month Layoff In Saturday’s Iselin

It's not so much a new and improved version of Code of Honor who will make his return to the races in Saturday's Grade 3 Philip H. Iselin Stakes, trainer Shug McGaughey said, as it is a more mature one.

Idle since a fifth-place finish on Jan. 23 in the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream Park, Code of Honor heads a field of seven for the $250,000 Iselin Stakes, the feature on Monmouth Park's 14-race card that day.

With those seven months off, McGaughey said the 2019 Kentucky Derby runner-up and Travers Stakes winner is now all grown up.

“We gave him a good amount of time off and he has come back strong and he has been training really well at Saratoga,” he said. “I'm looking forward to running him on Saturday.

“He has grown up quite a bit physically with the time off. He was a late foal (May 23) so we were always kind of playing catch up with him. I think he is all caught up now.”

The Kentucky-bred Code of Honor, now 5, looms large over his six rivals for the mile and a sixteenth Iselin Stakes. He has won two Grade 1 races (the 2019 Travers and the 2019 Jockey Club Gold Cup) and five of his six career wins have been in graded stakes. Overall, the W. S. Farish homebred is 6-for-16 lifetime with four seconds and two thirds. His career earnings stand at $2,731,320.

“It wasn't a body maturity thing with him,” said McGaughey. “He was always doing fine. Being a late foal it just took him a little time to catch up. That's the best way I can explain it.”

Code of Honor's 2020 campaign started with a victory in the Grade 3 Westchester Stakes but failed to produce another win in four races after that. But he was third in the Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap, second in the Grade 2 Kelso Handicap and second in Grade 1 Clark Stakes.

“It wasn't a frustrating year but it wasn't exactly what we hoped for after it started out with a win,” said McGaughey. “That's why I'm looking forward to running him again with the time off we gave him.

“He was so close last year. Maybe this year will be the year for him.”

A son of Noble Mission-Reunited by Dixie Union, Code of Honor has proven he can run well fresh, so McGaughey doesn't have any concerns about the lengthy layoff.

“He won his first start. And when he was a 3-year-old he ran in the Dwyer on July 6 at Belmont and then didn't run again until the Travers on Aug. 24,” McGaughey said. “So I think fresh is good for him.”

Code of Honor finished third in the 2019 Kentucky Derby but was elevated to second with the disqualification of Maximum Security. He was also second but placed first due to interference in 2019 Jockey Cup Gold Cup after finishing a nose behind Vino Rosso.

Paco Lopez, well on his way to an eighth Monmouth Park riding title, has the mount.

The rest of the Iselin field consists of West Will Power, Croatian, I'm a G Six, Magic Michael, Phat Man and Brice.

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Lone Star: Dependable Direct Dial Shows Up Again On Sunday’s Texas-Bred Stakes Card

Five Texas-bred stakes races highlighted Sunday's racing action at Lone Star Park, highlighted by Direct Dial's victory in the Wayne Hanks Memorial.

The W.S. Farish homebred has now pushed his career earnings over $500,000, winning in state-bred company for the fifth time in a year.

Direct Dial is trained by Steve Asmussen and ridden by Stewart Elliot, who was aboard for all five of the Texas-bred victories.

Favorite, Mr. Money Bags set the pace and was in front from the quarter pole, but Direct Dial got the best of him late to win by a half-length. Kenai Bob was a weakening third.

Final time for the six and a half furlongs was 1:16.37.

First stakes on the card was the $50,000 Texas Horseracing Hall of Fame Stakes and it was Carolyn Barnett and Becky Harding's Sunlit Song ($2.60) was all business focusing on the task at hand. When asked once down the lane he responded perfectly to win by two lengths. Moojab Jr. finished second two and a half lengths ahead of Gotherightonebaby in third. Redatory stalked the early pace and made a bid on the far turn, but came up empty finishing last of the field of five. Beta Lake finished a neck in from of him.

Final time for the mile and a sixteenth on the grass was 1:42.35. David Cabrera was up for the win and said, “I just let him do his thing and he was relaxed sitting second and they so slow it set us up perfect. It's to ride a horse like this.”

This was his eighth win from twelve starts over this course. Winning trainer was Mindy Willis.

Staunch Avenger Division of the Texas Stallion Stakes for Colts & Geldings

Favorite, Tengo Mis Papeles, owned by Wayne Sanders & Larry Hirsch was outstanding in this five furlong contest. The My Golden Song colt broke quickly and clear. Briefly challenged, he put that foe away with ease and drew off to a perfect nine and three quarter length victory in his debut. Pickingupstrangers grabbed the place and Pinky Ring Bling challenged the winner on the turn and faded to third. Bodymoor Heath was last in this short field of four.

Final time for the five eights on the dirt was :58.97.

Winning rider Reylu Gutierrez said, “When I poked a head in front at the quarter pole, I knew it was over.”

Winning trainer was Bret Calhoun

Lane's End Danny Shiffett Scholarship Stakes

Eleven fillies & mares went forward in this and it was De Luca and Sons Stables, Boerne who proved best today. She was away first, then briefly letting Discreet Smile run on the lead, but when she made her bid on the far turn it was all over for the others. Boerne ($11.20) crossed the finish first by one and a quarter lengths. Zarelda was second with third going to Shes Our Fastest. In fourth it was favorite Miss Perfecta followed by Corluna, Ima Discreet Lady, Herbs Love, Discreet Smile, Gee She Sparkles, No Mas Tequila and Tahitian Breeze completed the order of finish. Light Up the Devil was a late scratch.

Winning trainer was Robertino Diodoro, winning jockey, Ramon Vazquez.

Final time was 1:28.83 for the seven and a half furlongs on the Lone Star Park turf course.

Pan Zareta Division of the Texas Stallion Stakes for Fillies

Winning the filly division for owner W. S. Farish was Eagle Express ($6.00), by Eagle. Trained by Steve Asmussen, she finished second in her debut here last month, but showed much improvement today running like a professional. Going forward today as post time favorite, she was five lengths the best in this five furlong contest on the main track.

With Stewart Elliott up, the pair completed the race in :58.82 seconds over a fast track. It's a Gee Thing was second and Texas Thunder was a weakening third beaten by 13 lengths in his debut, racing greenly.

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Speech Returns in Doubledogdare

Eclipse Thoroughbreds, Madaket Stables and Heider Family Stables' Speech (Mr Speaker) looks to reproduce the form that landed her last summer's GI Central Bank Ashland S. in Friday's GIII Baird Doubledogdare S. at Keeneland. Promoted a position to third after the disqualification of Gamine in the GI Longines Kentucky Oaks in September, the Mike McCarthy trainee tired to sixth in the seven-furlong GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint at the Lexington oval Nov. 7. Javier Castellano, who was aboard the Florida-bred for two of her three lifetime wins, gets the call in the 8 1/2-furlong contest.

W.S. Farish's Royal Flag (Candy Ride {Arg}) kicked off 2020 with a pair of optional claiming wins, including a half-length score at Churchill in May, before finishing third in Monmouth's GIII Molly Pitcher S. in July. Runner up in Saratoga's Aug 30 GIII Shuvee S. followed by the Lady's Secret S. at Monmouth Oct. 7, the chestnut rounded out the season with a confident score in Aqueduct's GIII Turnbackthealarm S. Nov. 7.

Juddmonte's Bonny South (Munnings) also looks to kick off her 2021 campaign Friday. Victorious in three consecutive races, capped off last spring's GII Fair Grounds Oaks, the homebred finished fourth in the Ashland before finishing runner up behind Classic winner Swiss Skydiver (Daredevil) in Saratoga's

GI Alabama S. in August. Given some time off before returning with a close-up second in the GII Black-Eyed Susan S. at Pimlico, the Brad Cox trainee closed out the year once again playing the bridesmaid–this time behind Envoutante (Uncle Mo)–in the nine-furlong GII Falls City S. at Churchill Nov. 26.

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Royal Flag Flies Late To Capture Turnback The Alarm Stakes

W.S. Farish's Royal Flag arrived at the Grade 3, $100,000 Turnback the Alarm off of three straight placings against stakes company, but finally prevailed when saving ground along the rail and displaying a late kick to capture the 1 1/8-mile event for fillies and mares over the Aqueduct main track.

The 4-year-old daughter of multiple champion-producing stallion Candy Ride broke sharply from post 2 under Trevor McCarthy and secured a spot to the inside as Graceful Princess commanded the pace into the first turn through splits of 24.38 and 49.52 seconds over the fast main track.

Approaching the far turn, Graceful Princess gave way as Nonna Madeline and Mrs. Orb raced in tandem on the front end with Royal Flag in pursuit. At the top of the stretch, McCarthy angled Royal Flag three paths to the outside and was in front past the sixteenth pole to win by by 2 ¼ lengths in a final time of 1:54.08.

Mrs. Orb finished 1 ½ lengths ahead of third-place finisher Nonna Madeline. Another Broad and Graceful Princess completed the order of finish.

“She comes from off the pace, but I got a great trip,” McCarthy said. “I was able to save some ground and then got her outside and she gave me a great kick. She's a nice filly and she gave me everything she had. As soon as she came off the turn, I went lefthanded and then went back to the right and she really accelerated and went right by the other two horses.”

McCarthy said he came prepared for Saturday's race.

“I did a lot of homework on this race,” said McCarthy. “It was a five-horse field and I watched every horse about three or four times and kind of figured out where they were going to be and where the best spot for my horse would be and where she would feel comfort-wise. You have a bunch of plans in your head of what can work out and you take it from the break and figure out which plan you are going to use.”

Trained by Chad Brown, who sent out 2016 Turnback the Alarm winner Lewis Bay, Royal Flag was previously a hard-fought second to Nonna Madeline in the Lady's Secret at Monmouth Park after acquiring graded stakes black type when second in the Grade 3 Shuvee at Saratoga and third in the Grade 3 Molly Pitcher at Monmouth Park.

Royal Flag, the even-money favorite, returned $4.10 and bolstered her career earnings to $245,520 through a consistent record of 8-4-2-2.

Bred in Kentucky by her owner, Royal Flag is out of the multiple black type producing Mineshaft mare Sea Gull, who also produced five-time graded stakes winner Catalina Cruiser and multiple stakes winner Eagle.

Live racing resumes on Sunday at the Big A, featuring the Grade 3, $100,000 Nashua [Race 9, 3:47 p.m.] for 2-year-olds going a one-turn mile over the main track. First post is 11:50 a.m. Eastern.

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