PEDIGREE ANALYSIS

Code of Honor Noble Mission – Reunited, by Dixie Union Bred in Kentucky by W.S. Farish With the Kentucky Derby now less than nine weeks away, the picture is in constant motion, with prep races unfolding – the race against the calendar to acquire points getting added pressure from schedule changes in California – and hopefuls being asked to step up at longer distances. In this swirl of activity, one of those to take a major step up was Code of Honor, whose improved performance in winning the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth Stakes last weekend at Gulfstream Park drove his odds down to 12-1 from 30-1 on the latest edition of the Derby Watch line set by Mike Watchmaker, Daily

Racing Form’s national handicapper. Code of Honor is from the first crop of the regally bred Noble Mission, a full brother to unbeaten two-time European Horse of the Year Frankel and himself the European champion older horse of 2014. Noble Mission was a Group 3 winner earlier in his career but truly blossomed as a 5-year-old in his championship season, winning the Group 1 Champion Stakes in England and beating Magician to win the Group 1 Tattersalls Gold Cup in Ireland. The son of Galileo was also elevated to first via disqualification in the Group 1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud in France after crossing the line second by a head, and was Group 1-placed in Germany that season. All his wins came at a mile or longer, and he crossed the line first in multiple Group 1 events at 1 1/4 miles.

Frankel, whose first foals hit the track in 2016, has made a stellar start with runners such as two-time Japanese champion Soul Stirring, European champion Cracksman, and additional Group 1 winners Call The Wind, Mozu Ascot, and Without Parole. Noble Mission finished sixth on last year’s North American freshman sire list, even with Code of Honor missing the Breeders’ Cup due to illness. He was also represented by multiple stakes-placed Life Mission last season.

While his sire has provided stamina and perhaps the ability to continue improving with experience, Code of Honor’s precocity as a Group 1-placed juvenile and his dirt ability come from a speedy American female family. Reunited won five of her 10 starts, highlighted by the Grade 3 Thoroughbred Club of America Stakes sprinting at Keeneland in 2005. The Dixie Union mare is out of multiple stakes winner Tivli, who once equaled a track record at five furlongs. While Reunited never won beyond 6 1/2 furlongs, four of her seven winners have won at a mile or longer. Her foals include Big League, the runner-up in the Grade 2 Best Pal Stakes three years ago. She is also the second dam of stakes-placed juvenile Successful Zip.