(Code of Honor worked this morning at Payson Park for trainer Shug McGaughey / Photo Courtesy of Gulfstream Park)

Every day, we scour the work tabs at racetracks all over the country.  We are looking for workouts that may be of interest and helpful to you — as both race fans and handicappers.  Some of the horses we will be tracking, you will know.  Some of them, you may not know — as of yet.  We will keep a keen eye and stopwatch to see who may be working well:

  1. Code of Honor, upset winner of the Fountain of Youth and now one of the favorites for this Saturday’s Florida Derby, got his final tuneup form coach Shug McGaughey this morning at Payson Park. The 3YO Noble Mission colt went 4 furlongs in :48.40, which was the bullet move out of 12 to go that distance. Should sharpen him up for this weekend’s duties, which could be plentiful. Interesting to see if he can duplicate and/or improve.
  2. Blamed, a 4YO filly by Blame and trained by Bill Mott, also worked at Payson Park this morning. The talented filly — who has 7 wins and 2 seconds in 10 career starts and won the G3 Royal Delta Stakes at Gulfstream Park in her last start on Feb. 16 — went a half mile in :49.20. That was the 3rd best time out of the 12. Looks primed for another good one.
  3. Much Better, the 3YO Pioneerof the Nile colt trained by Bob Baffert, worked this morning at Belmont Park. The colt went 5 furlongs over the dirt training track in 1:00.45, which was the bullet move out of 12 to go the distance. Ran a tough 4th in the G3 Gotham Stakes at Aqueduct the last time out on March 9. Looks like he is sticking around to try the Wood Memorial in his next out. Will be interesting if he can stretch his natural speed that far.
  4. Tobacco Road, a 3YO Quality Road colt and trained by Steve Asmussen, has been on and off the turf this winter down at the Fair Grounds. Has run 2 seconds in a row after a disappointing 10th in the Springboard Mile to end the 2018 calendar. This morning, the Ellis Park Juvenile champ went 5 furlongs at the Fair Grounds in 1:02.20. That was the 2nd best time out of 4 to go the distance. Will be interesting to see when Asmussen ships his horses North. Most are now en route after the meet finished up on Sunday.
  5. Bano Solo, a 3Yo son of Goldencents and trained by Steve Asmussen, worked at Oaklawn Park this morning. The colt — who is entered to run on Friday in Hot Springs, AR. — went 3 furlongs today in :39 flat. That was 4th of 5 to go that distance. This one was mighty impressive on debut at Churchill Downs last June. Lone race here this year, on Feb. 24, was mighty disappointing. Will be interesting to see if he has made improvement.
  6. Long Range Toddy, winner of one of the division’s of the Rebel Stakes and a 3YO son of Take Charge Indy, worked this morning at Oaklawn Park. Went an easy half mile in :51 flat, which was 14th of 19. Should expect he will run next in the Arkansas Derby in the last major prep for this year’s KY Derby. We shall see.
  7. Sombeyay, a 3YO Into Mischief colt with a degree of serious talent and run for trainer Todd Pletcher, worked this morning at the Palm Beach Downs Training Center in South Florida. The colt, who has not run since 4th in the Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity last October, went 3 furlongs in :39.99. That was the 10th fastest time out of 10 to go. It was his first published work since the last race. So, in other words, just starting the comeback. he did run second in the Tremont Stakes at Belmont Park; first in the G3 Sanford Stakes at Saratoga and then put up back-to-back 4ths in the Hopeful and Breeders’ Futurity. Will be good to see this one back in action.
  8. Complexity, a 3YO Maclean’s Music colt who has not been out since his 10th place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile last November at Churchill Downs, worked this morning at the Palm Meadows Training Center in South Florida. He got his 4th published work since Feb. 8 this morning, stopping the watch in :38.20 for 3 furlongs worth of action. That was the 3rd best time out of 4. Long ways to go, it appears, but on the comeback trail for trainer Chad Brown.
  9. Mother Mother, a 3YO daughter of Pioneerof the Nile and trained by Bob Baffert, worked this morning at Santa Anita. This gal — who has 2-2-1 record in 6 career starts — went 5 furlongs in 1:00 flat. That was the bullet move out of 49 to go the distance. Will be interesting to see if Team Baffert splits this one up from Chasing Yesterday, who won the Sunland Park Oaks on Sunday. If so, where does this one go? Watching.