Warrior’s Charge takes Oaklawn’s $500K Razorback
Oaklawn Park press release
HOT SPRINGS, AR (Monday, Feb. 17, 2020) – Ten Strike Racing and Madakat Stable LLC’s Warrior’s Charge kicked off his 4-year-old campaign with an impressive, hard-fought victory in Monday’s $500,000 Razorback Handicap (G3) before a crowd of 19,500.
Warrior’s Charge was in front on the first turn and in front at the finish of Oaklawn Park’s Razorback Handicap. Coady Photography
Breaking from post 6 under jockey Florent Geroux, Warrior’s Charge broke on top and never looked back as he led the field of 11 through opening fractions of :23.69 and :47.85 for the first half-mile. He got a little breather entering the far turn, which left him just enough to hold off Bankit, who was falling a head short for the second straight race. The 3-1 favorite completed the 1 1/16 mile race in 1:43 over a fast track.
“The horse came out on top and I’m very proud of him,” trainer Brad Cox. “He’s been training well and showed up today. Without a doubt, we’ll keep him here and look at the Essex Handicap (March 14) and Oaklawn Handicap (April 18) for his next start.”
Snapper Sinclair finished third. He was followed by Pioneer Spirit, Campaign, Bravazo, Rated R Superstar, Math Wizard, Guest Suite, Exulting and Joevia.
Warrior’s Charge, by Munnings, improved his record to 4-0-3 in eight career starts and has now earned $565,310. He’s 2 for 2 since finishing fourth in the Preakness Stakes.
“He’s a good gate horse,” Geroux said. “He always puts himself in a great position. I took advantage of it. We went to the lead and he relaxed nicely for me on the backside. When he saw that other horse (Bankit) coming down the lane, he fought very hard to the wire. It was great.”
Jockey Julien Leparoux said of third-place Snapper Sinclair, who last fall won Kentucky Downs’ $750,000 Tourist Mile and then finished fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile: “We really had a pretty good trip. In the first turn, there was some bumping around in front of us and we got a little bit outside. But, I could cover him up after that. He relaxed good and made his run. He ran a big race.”
