| Codex | |
|---|---|
| Sire | Arts And Letters |
| Grandsire | Ribot |
| Dam | Roundup Rose |
| Damsire | Minnesota Mac |
| Sex | Stallion |
| Foaled | 1977 |
| Country | United States |
| Colour | Chestnut |
| Breeder | Tartan Stable |
| Owner | Tartan Stable |
| Trainer | D. Wayne Lukas |
| Record | 15: 6-2-1 |
| Earnings | $534,576 |
| Major wins | |
| Santa Anita Derby (1980) Hollywood Derby (1980) American Classic Race wins: Preakness Stakes (1980) | |
Codex (February 28, 1977 – August 20, 1984) was an Americanthoroughbredracehorse who won the 1980Preakness Stakes. He was foaled inFlorida out of the Minnesota Mac mare, Roundup Rose, sired by the 1969American Horse of the Year,Arts And Letters.[1]
Trained byD. Wayne Lukas, Codex was considered the dominant 3-year-old colt in California after winning the 1980Santa Anita Derby andHollywood Derby.[2] The horse's owner,John Nerud, believedTriple Crown races could harm a horse and did not allow Lukas to nominate Codex for the 1980Kentucky Derby.[3]
Lukas initially declined to nominate Codex for the 1980 Preakness Stakes but the horse was entered accidentally by Lukas' 22-year-old son, Jeff, who worked as the assistant trainer.[2] Codex, ridden byÁngel Cordero Jr., beat theKentucky Derby-winning filly,Genuine Risk by 43⁄4 lengths in the 1980Preakness Stakes, becoming Lukas' firstTriple Crown-race winner.[2] The victory was challenged by Genuine Risk's owners on grounds of deliberate interference by Cordero. Television replays showed Cordero swing Codex wide and possibly brush against Genuine Risk.[2] One of Codex's lawyers,Arnold M. Weiner, displayed photos showing the horses almost feet apart in contrast to the television footage.[3] After testimony by dozens of witnesses, the Maryland Racing Commission ruled that any contact was incidental and allowed the result to stand.[3] The controversy increased media attention on the upcomingBelmont Stakes as a rivalry between Codex and Genuine Risk.[3]
At the 1980 Belmont Stakes in sloppy conditions, Codex finished in seventh place.[3] toTemperence Hill; Genuine Risk finished second.
Codex was retired after a career of six wins in fifteen starts.[4] Codex produced three good crops of foals before being found in his stall, paralyzed. On August 20, 1984, he waseuthanized.
From Codex's 1982 (first) crop cameTartan Stable's Coup de Fusil who emulated her sire by winning three straightGrade I races. From his 1983 crop, came the Grade I winner Badger Land. The 1984 (last) crop was highlighted byLost Code, who won several Graded Stakes including 2 Grade 1 races.[4]
| Sire Arts and Letters ch. 1966 | Ribot brown 1952 | Tenerani | Bellini |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tofanella | |||
| Romanella | El Greco | ||
| Barbara Burrini | |||
| All Beautiful ch. 1959 | Battlefield | War Relic | |
| Dark Display | |||
| Parlo | Heliopolis* | ||
| Fairy Palace | |||
| Dam Roundup Rose bay 1971 | Minnesota Mac bay 1964 | Rough'n Tumble | Free For All |
| Roused | |||
| Cow Girl | Mustang | ||
| Ate | |||
| Minnetonka bay 1967 | Chieftain | Bold Ruler | |
| Pocahontas | |||
| Heliolight | Helioscope* | ||
| Real Delight |
* Codex isinbred 4S x 5D to the stallionHeliopolis, meaning that he appears fourth generation on the sire side of his pedigree and fifth generation (viaHelioscope) on the dam side of his pedigree.