HONOR CODE OFF THE MARK AT LAUREL

NIGHT CODE (c, 2, Honor Code–Unenchantedevening, by Unbridled’s Song) was dispatched as the 3-5 favorite for his career debut Thursday at Laurel and despite racing as greenly as his number five saddle towel, belied his inexperience to become the first winner for his freshman sire (by A.P. Indy) in the process. Part of a four-pronged battle for the lead in the run into the turn, the attractive dark bay settled outside fellow firster Fishman (Malibu Moon) and that duo raced heads apart on the bend. One off the fence into the lane and with a couple of rivals bearing down on him to his outside, Night Code had to be pulled off Irishtown (Algorithms) at the three-sixteenths and was under a tight right rein and a left-handed stick while trying to lay in on Fishman at the furlong grounds, but he managed to overcome those flaws in running to post a half-length victory. A $500,000 Keeneland September yearling purchase by the late Jimmy Crupi, Night Code was the third-most-expensive of his sire’s 61 yearlings reported as sold in 2018. A half-brother to ‘TDN Rising Star’ and future dual Grade I winner Moonshine Memories (Malibu Moon), $549,056; SW & GSP Indian Evening (Indian Charlie, $140,172); and SP Mo For the Money (Uncle Mo), Night Code is out of a winning daughter of Evil Elaine (Medieval Man), dam of 1997 Horse of the Year and champion 2-year-old male Favorite Trick (Phone Trick). Unenchantedevening is the dam of a yearling full-sister to Moonshine Memories appropriately named More Moonshine and foaled a colt by Malibu Moon this year which has already been named Lunar Legacy. Sales history: $500,000 Ylg ’18 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $22,800. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.

O-St. Elias Stable & West Point Thoroughbreds; B-Summer Wind Equine LLC (KY); T-Steven M Asmussen.

SOURCE: TDN 7/11/19