Trainer Tim Keefe always felt that Code of Silence would excel over longer distances. “He’s like a diesel engine,” Keefe remarked after the horse finished sixth in a tough six-furlong race at the Fasig-Tipton Million Nursery in Maryland on October 11. “He needs some time to get going. He’s a big horse, and I’d like to see him run further.”
Keefe’s prediction proved accurate when Code of Silence surged from last place to secure an exciting victory in the $125,000 Maryland Juvenile Stakes at Laurel Park on Saturday. This race, like the $125,000 Juvenile Filly Stakes held simultaneously, was a seven-furlong contest open to two-year-old horses bred in Maryland or Virginia.
Despite a weak start, jockey Angel Cruz was confident in Code of Silence’s ability. “He’s a slow starter,” Cruz said. “He’s a grinder, always coming, and quite a big horse.” Keefe also acknowledged the slow break but noted, “It wasn’t ideal, but the horse takes time to get going. He bounced back well.”
The race pace was fast, with Workerby, Samtime, and Big Bolton pushing fractions of 23.06 and 46.63 seconds. When reaching the homestretch, these leaders began to tire, allowing the trailing horses to close in. Near the final stretch inside the 3/16th pole, Anna’s Bandit’s offspring Tartable made a strong move but was closely challenged by GQ Worthy from inside and Code of Silence from outside.
At the finish line, Code of Silence and GQ Worthy were neck and neck, with Tartable finishing half a length behind them in third. Other finishers included Sometime, Big Bolton, Worker Bee, Our Day Will Come, Hell Ofa Hillbilly, and Jigger, with Biker Bailey pulling up injured. Code of Silence completed the race in 1:27.23, surviving a claim of interference by Tartable’s trainer Chad Summers, and paid $5.80 for the win.
Code of Silence, a son of Blofeld and a stakes-winning mare known as Tough-Talkin’ Lady, was bred in Maryland by Kenneth and Richard Palumbo, and trained at the Holts’ Mount Peru Farm. Both Keefe and Cruz are familiar with this bloodline, having previously worked with Code of Silence’s half-brother Tattooed, who won the 2021 Jennings Stakes at Laurel.
“He’s just like Tattooed,” Keefe noted. “They look very similar. Tattooed wasn’t at this level as a two-year-old due to early injury, but he’s improved over time. We’ve been able to develop Code of Silence more as a two-year-old. Angel has spent a lot of time with him in the mornings, and it’s definitely paid off.”
Though still young and gaining experience, Code of Silence used that learning to outpace a loose leader in a state-restricted special weight race at Laurel on November 16. He now has two wins from five starts and has earned $125,380.
Angel Cruz summed it up, “This horse has a bright future.”
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Fan Take: This victory highlights the potential for Maryland-bred horses to shine on bigger stages, reinforcing the importance of regional breeding programs. Fans of horse racing should watch Code of Silence closely as his progress could bring renewed excitement and competitiveness to young horses from the Mid-Atlantic region.
