Two years ago trainer Shug McGaughey followed Florida’s Road to the Kentucky Derby to a 2nd-place finish with CODE OF HONOR in the Run For The Roses.

The Hall of Fame trainer found himself back on that illustrious path this past Saturday with a new Triple Crown candidate.

GREATEST HONOUR powered his way to a 5 3/4-length Victory in the $200,000 dollar Grade 3 Holy Bull Stakes  for 3-year-olds at Gulfstream Park.

It took four starts for GREATEST HONOUR to record a Maiden Win, but the Victories in his last two starts around two turns have elevated him toward the top of the 3-year-old division.

With Jose Ortiz aboard, GREATEST HONOUR moved up from 7th in the field of nine and rallied four-wide on the turn to blow past his rivals in the stretch of Saturday’s 1 1/16-mile Stakes race.

This certainly bodes well for his chances in longer and more important races down the road that will be worth more than the 10 Kentucky Derby qualifying points he picked up with the Win in the Holy Bull.

McGaughey stated that the February 27th, Grade 3 Fountain of Youth Stakes (a race CODE OF HONOR Won in 2019), could be next for GREATEST HONOUR, but added he could also wait for the March 27th, Grade 1 Florida Derby.

“Our idea would be the Fountain of Youth, but if we have to wait a bit, I don’t think he will be a hard horse to get ready for the Florida Derby,” McGaughey said. “A mile-and-an-eighth will be better for him than the mile-and-a-sixteenth.”

Shug should know, he’s been down this road before.