Code Warrior survives inquiry to win Debutante

ALBANY, Calif. – Surviving an inquiry may have been tougher than the race itself as Code Warrior ($2.80) ran her career record to 3 for 3 in winning the $50,405 Golden Gate Debutante on Saturday at Golden Gate Fields.

The undefeated Society's Chairman filly broke sharply but was content to take back off Coniah and Andean who dueled head and head through the opening half-mile. She sat patiently but tried to move out midway on the turn only to be boxed in by Cousin Claire.

Code Warrior and Cousin Claire bumped inside the quarter pole as Code Warrior was looking for room to run, but even though she seemed to take the worst of it, Code Warrior rallied to take command of the race in the stretch and pulled clear to win the six-furlong race by 1 3/4 lengths over Cousin Claire in 1:09.67.

Jockey Anne Sanguinetti hand rode Code Warrior through the lane, never going to her whip.

"She relaxed on her own down the backstretch, but she was getting very strong on the turn,” said Sanguinetti. “She got a little too tough at the quarter pole. She knows why she's here, but she's young and has to learn you have to wait behind horses."

Trainer Manny Badilla was pleased with the effort and how the filly responded to the bump.

He said the California Oaks on Feb. 6 would be next on her agenda.

"She's awesome. There's nothing else to say about her," he said. "I was concerned because two races in three weeks [she beat males in the Golden Nugget on Nov. 7] is tough, but now we have two months before the next race."

Code Warrior, an $18,000 purchase in Texas in April, earned $30,300 for the victory, lifting her career total to $76,250 for the JC Racing Stable of John and Chris Sanguinetti, the jockey's parents.