AND THE WINNER IS
Code of Honor is by freshman sire and turf router, Noble Mission. The full brother to European Champ Frankel won at 1 1/2 miles. The stallion has three dirt winners, but the bulk are best over turf and Polytrack. His babies will mature with age.
Code of Honor’s distaff line is speed-oriented. His dam is a graded stakes-winning sprinter, and he’s a half-brother to Big League, who placed in the Best Pal (G2) as a 2-year-old. A half-sister bore Successful Zip, who was second in this year’s Sapling Stakes at Monmouth. Code of Honor’s second generation is filled with stakes winners and stakes placed sprinter/milers, and his second dam Tivli is a stakes winning sprinter. Dixie Union is the damsire of 2-year-old champ New Year’s Day, Met mile winner Mor Spirit and Remsen winner Mohayman, to name a few. None have won beyond 1 1/8 miles.
Derby Distance Verdict: Borderline. Code of Honor has a stamina over speed pedigree. In recent years, these types have done pretty well in the Derby. This colt overcame a bad trip in only his second start, and that’s always a good thing. Keep him on the watch list.
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