HONOR CODE
It is hard to believe that 8 years has already passed since the beautiful Honor Code ran from the back of the pack in the Whitney Stakes at Saratoga. That race was one of the most powerful of the year and the gate was filled to the brim with talent.
Honor Code ran down Liam's Map, Tonalist, Wicked Strong, V.E. Day, Lea, Normandy Invasion, Moreno and Noble Bird in 1:47.82 and not a stronger field have we seen since. The Whitney/Met Mile champion was a sight to behold.
In 2016, Honor Code was retired to stud at Lanes End in Versailles, Kentucky. I had the pleasure of meeting him a few times. Photographs simply never did him any justice. He was breath-taking in person.
Starting the 2024 season, Honor Code will be standing at Yushun Stallion Station in Japan. The 2015 Eclipse Winner for Champion Older Male sired 14 stakes winners including Max Player, and the stunning Honor A.P. shown below.
CLASSIC PEDIGREES
Just thirty-four seconds of Aiden O'Brien makes more sense than any other horseman alive. Any time that this man speaks, it is simply pure gold. We have no counterpart on this side of the ocean.
PRIX de l'Arc de TRIOMPHE
The famous race, which debuted back in 1920, will be run next week. This race has hosted some of the most celebrated horses in history into its Winners Circle. Enable, Treve, Urban Sea, Montjeu, Sea the Stars, and the Horse of the Century, Ribot.
This edition will prove to be quite the spectacle of brilliance as some of the top turf competitors assemble at Longchamp for the 2400 meter contest (approx 12f).
Ace Impact struts in with his perfectly unblemished record and he will inevitably take to the gate as the favorite.
O'Brien sends Continuous to defend his Betfred St. Leger Stakes title from just last week.
Westover will seek to prevail over Hokum after losing to him by a head in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes back in July.
The mare who stayed with Equinox to the wire in the Takarazuka Kinen back in June, Through Seven Seas, gives Japan high hopes for this year's trophy. Along with many other talented turf runners from around the world, this becomes the biggest contest of the year in terms of the Breeders Cup Turf race.
SPEAKING OF OVERSEAS
The winner of the Dubai World Cup, Ushba Tesoro, will enter his 30th gate on September 27th in the Nippon TV Hai. Last seen prevailing over the talented Algiers in Meydan, this dirt monster will compete in a blow-out prep for the Breeders Cup Classic.
The son of Orfevre is best known to prefer his racing dates slated outside of the summer months. Now with the start of Fall, he is finally let loose. Ushba is also known to be quite the goofball during his workouts but when competing on that dirt track, he is all business and the perfect professional. Early November for his start in the Breeders Cup Classic will be right up his alley. Just don't expect to see any jaw-dropping works.
We'll see if the cobwebs are an issue or not after his 9f performance this coming Wednesday.
World Cup runner-up, Algiers, next to be seen in the Durham Cup at Woodbine on Saturday. Connections taking stock of his form on American dirt in anticipation of a possible start in the Breeders Cup Classic. Unfortunate for them, the AWS for that race certainly does not align with Santa Anita at all. Not sure what they are looking to see when it comes to a transition to the Santa Anita track. Baffling!
Guess who else just came aboard for the Classic? That old Kentucky Derby headache... Derma Sotogake.
Well, did Ushba Tesoro win his first race back since the Dubai World Cup? HE SURE DID!!!
He annihilated them. Ushba in Gate #4.
ARCANGELO
Belmont and Travers winner, Arcangelo, will be boarding a plane from New York and heading to California on the very same day that his potential rival, Ushba Tesoro steps into a gate in Japan. Both horses enjoy time away from competing while still working but the training that Arcangelo will have on that surface for the full coming month is priceless. There is no doubt that they will be jaw-dropping on that surface.
Through Seven Seas Arc Workout
IN MEMORY
Amazombie - Champion of the 2011 Breeders Cup Sprint was recently euthanized at Old Friends in Georgetown KY.
This post will be updated over the coming week.
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