Originally publish: Sept 5th, 2018
For the past couple of years, at least once a week I receive an email inquiring about the potential of a new colt. Sometimes the emails come from those who want to know because of a potential purchase, sometimes it comes from a horse fan who is interested in placing bets and sometimes it comes from a gut feeling they may have that they have spotted a great horse.
Most times, I will look at the numbers and do a quick write-up, send it off and forget all about it a couple of hours later. But going through all of these names and numbers over the years for both friends and strangers has had its rewards. Two rewards to be exact.
There are two times over the years where I received the name of a horse to look at and I was floored. The first time was when Bill (a member here at the Dirty Horse Club and a great handicapping friend) sent me the name of Le Vent Se Leve. I looked first at the colts numbers and I was completely intrigued, and then I looked at the colts maiden race and I was hooked. Hooked may not be the correct word, obsessed is more like it. Not a day since has gone by that I have not looked for info on that horse. And not a day has gone by from that day forward that I have not looked at one of Le Vents races. It has become a morning ritual to get me going for the day.
The second time was yesterday.
Our friend here, Brian, sent me a short email. He wasn’t looking for anything, he just wanted to pass along the fact that Shug may be holding a good one. I looked at the numbers out of curiosity and because I know if Brian likes a horse, there is usually something there. Within 10 seconds of looking at those numbers I knew there was in fact something there. Then I looked at the maiden race. Hooked again. Hooked in a big way.
This is Code of Honor.
First things first. This colt’s immediate sire, grand sire and grand dam are all three from overseas. If there was a way to put flashing LED lights on that portion of a chart, somebody should do it immediately. Those 3 blocks on that chart was the first eye-popping part and it just kept getting better from there.
Code of Honor’s sire, Noble Mission, besides being an accomplished Grade 1 winner, is a full brother to Frankel. He was also named the 2014 Cartier Champion Older Horse overseas. (Noble Mission pictured left.)
Code of Honor’s grand sire, Galileo, was named the Cartier Champion 3 year old and won his maiden by 14 lengths. One of the best bred colts of his time, winning at 10 and 12f Graded stakes races overseas, he became a listed Chef-de-race based on his ability to produce Graded stakes winners who also did the same. Both male sires closest to Code of Honor were titled champions and one is a listed Classic/Solid Chef. Strike up the orchestra and add some music to those flashing lights.
Pictured: Galileo - Sadlers Wells - Northern Dancer
Moving on, Galileo’s sire, Sadlers Wells is also a Graded Stakes winner and a listed Classic/Solid Chef-de-Race as well. With 11 starts, 6 wins, 4 places, at races from 7f to 12f, and the 1984 Champion Miler in France, he was also the leading UK sire by earnings for years. We have only touched on three sires in Code of Honor’s royal chart and it just keeps on going. Uncork the champagne bottles, the night has just begun.
Sadlers Wells’ sire, Northern Dancer, also a listed Chef-de-Race in the Brilliant and Classic categories, was the 1964 Champion three year old colt in both the United States and Canada and the Canadian Horse of the Year. He was the leading sire in the United States for 6 separate years at home and abroad.
The line of sires stemming from Noble Mission is a perfect conduit of listed Chefs ranging from Brilliant to Solid and will undoubtedly be of major influence to this new young boy. This line is only one of many that depict a chart filled with equine royalty. Now is the time to bring out the fireworks and let the show begin.
In the fourth generation of Code of Honor’s chart, besides Northern Dancer (top and bottom), we have Danzig (Intermediate, Classic), Rainbow Quest (Classic, Solid), and Blushing Groom (Brilliant, Classic). Blushing Groom was Champion 2 year old and 3 year old in both France and England. He was also leading sire in Great Britain and Ireland in 1989. Rainbow Quest was the 1985 Champion Older Male in both England and France. Top notch chefs dot this chart with many higher end sires who could contribute champion attributes as well. It is one thing to have these magnificent sires in a single chart, but how they blend and mix as shown in the numbers is quite another spectacle all together. The way these sires balance out is absolute perfection and the potential of Code of Honor on the track going forward is magnificent to say the least.
The Numbers
The configurations and set-up within a given chef profile begins the tale. It evolves into the potential and optimum distance capability of the horse. Combining these numbers with the important mares in the chart tells the entire story. Once the clear cut story is told with regards to this guys speed/stamina balance, coupled with the results of his maiden race, you will soon understand why these types of thoroughbreds are rare diamonds and why it is important to understand exactly what a horse is holding with regard to his past performances. Code of Honor is a diamond in a Royal Flush. So much so that each set of numbers must be addressed individually to truly get the scope of this guys incredible inheritance.
Chef Profile: 3-1-11-7-0 (22)
Barely any sprinter speed, completely dominant from 9f to 15f. The 7 in the Solid (13f-14-15f) category is very rare and depicts male stamina that is through the roof. The 1 in the Intermediate category keeps the minimal sprinter speed pure and it enhances the dominant stamina, keeping everything to the right of the center. This guy is loaded in the Classic distance with a crazy amount inherited in that Solid slot.
Chef Index: .76
That index shows that Code of Honor inherited less than 1x the amount of speed vs stamina from his Chefs. Keep in mind, many 2 year old starters have indexes in the 3.00 and over range. These are guys who gained 3x and/or over the speed vs their stamina. CoH is all stamina from his chefs.
Chefs CD (Center of Distribution): 0.00
This CD is DIRECTLY in the center. Picture a see-saw. When it falls down to left side, all the way down to the ground, you are at optimums that start at 4f to 6f (Brilliant leaning). As it starts to tilt upwards, the distances slowly go further (moving through the Intermediate to Classic then through the Solid optimums). When it has finally hit the ground again on the right side, you are at marathon distances past 16f (Professional). Now put the see saw back up, completely straight and balanced and centered in a horizontal line. This is the ZERO point. That ZERO balance is directly in the Classic center. There is no guessing there. It is perfectly centered and balanced. This is rare and potentially unbeatable. Code of Honor’s optimum distance from his sires is 11f.
The Mares Profile: 2-10-2-13-5
This profile is just as exceptional as the Chefs, possibly even better. The 10 in the Intermediate category unloads a serious amount of PURE speed as separated by that 2 in the Classic distance. The combined stamina wing of 18 points guarantees that CoH will be able to sustain any and all of his wicked speed inheritance as far as the track needs to go. Of major importance here, most “stamina” horses who can go the distance in longer races generally have watered down speed numbers and therefore have a harder time connecting with races below their optimum. When a stamina horse has pure speed, speed which appears weighted and balanced because of the placement within the profile, his ability to sustain that speed remains intact as the distances get longer. To put this into greater perspective, if that 10 appeared not in his Intermediate slot (7,8,9f) but rather appeared in his Brilliant slot (4,5,6f) slot, that speed would have a much greater chance of getting watered down or it could have watered down the stamina. It would have created a split. The placement of that 10 in that Intermediate slot keeps that watering down at bay. Great pure speed coupled with serious stamina to sustain it. Perfect configurations.
Mares Speed: 12
Mares Stamina: 18
CoH has a 6 point spread between his inherited speed and inherited stamina from his mares. He is weighted to stamina because of the 5 gained in his professional category (16f+). Keep in mind, these numbers from the mares show the Average Winning distances as handed down to their progeny consistently by EACH important mare in his chart. Code of Honor will never be tested at 16f, most likely never tested over 12f, but the importance of having that stamina in reserve will serve him well in sustaining a high degree of speed as the distance go longer throughout his career. In other words, the probability that CoH will hit a wall with his speed should be extremely low because of that 6 point spread.
Mare Index: .64
With the high amount of stamina gained from his chefs, coupled with this lower mare index, Code of Honor has an optimum distance that surpasses 11f. When looking at optimums, this would be the most comfortable spot for the horse. This is where his advantage would be at its maximum. This is where he would find the greatest ease with his speed/stamina balance.
The Triads: 14-25-20
On a personal note, the second I gazed upon those numbers I just started laughing out loud with total glee. Those numbers are stunning. This is not a miler or a sprinter or a horse where you need to worry or question the Derby distance. Concrete. Branded and Heavy as a Stone Block. BAM!!
And the grand finale – The Maiden Race.
Saratoga 8/18/2018
Code of Honor wired the field at 6f. (Even more shouts of glee!) He WIRED THE FIELD at 6f!!!
This guy potentially has a serious career ahead of him as the distances progress. He's a Royal Flush.
Thank you Brian. You may have just destroyed me for the Kentucky Derby and its only September!
Race 6 starts at approx the 1:49 mark.
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