Ironicus to Miss Breeders' Cup Mile

Stuart S. Janney homebred Ironicus (Distorted Humor) is the third horse this week to be removed from Breeders' Cup consideration due to injury. The gray fractured his cannon bone and will be forced to miss the GI Breeders' Cup Mile, in which he was likely to be one of the top choices.

“He has a small fracture of his cannon bone,” trainer Shug McGaughey told the TDN via phone Thursday. “They will put a screw in it tomorrow and he will be fine. He was training until last Sunday and I didn't like the way he was walking. It was not bad, but it wasn't 100% so I didn't train him that morning. He was better that afternoon, but I didn't like the way he was on Monday and that is when we took the x-ray. He got to Kentucky [Thursday] and Dr. Bramlage will do the surgery [Friday].”

As for his recovery, McGaughey said, “I don't expect him to be laid up long. I expect him to be in the stall for three weeks and then we will reevaluate it from there. Obviously we will give him plenty of time. Whatever he needs. Maybe next spring he will return to the races.”

Winner of Pimlico's GII Longines Dixie S. May 16, Ironicus stomped a field of allowance foes on the Belmont lawn July 8 and just missed next out in Saratoga's GII Fourstardave H. Aug. 15. The 4-year-old was last seen setting a new course record with an impressive victory in the Spa's GII Bernard Baruch H. Sept. 7.

McGaughey's GI Breeders' Cup Classic contender Honor Code (A.P. Indy) on the other hand is doing very well leading up to his next start in Belmont's GII Kelso H. Oct. 3.

“So far, so good,” the Hall of Famer remarked. “He is doing really well. He gives all indications so far [of another big performance]. We have eight or nine days to go, so as long as we don't mess him up between now and then, I think he will run pretty good.”

Winner of the GII Gulfstream Park H. in his 2015 debut Mar. 7, Honor Code was a head-scratching fifth in the Churchill's GII Alysheba S. May 1. The “TDN Rising Star” made amends next out when he blew the doors off a star-studded GI Metropolitan H. field going the same one-turn mile as the Kelso June 6. The Lanes End Racing and Dell Ridge Farm runner came charging late in his trademark fashion to collar subsequent GI Woodward S. hero and fellow “TDN Rising Star” Liam's Map (Unbridled's Song) in Saratoga's GI Whitney S. last time Aug. 8.

That victory earned him an all expenses paid trip to the GI Breeders' Cup Classic at Keeneland Oct. 31 to add to the free pass he earned to the GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile with his victory in the Met Mile. McGaughey confirmed that he will run in the Classic.

–@CDeBernardisTDN