Halford to have first North American starter with Platinum Warrior

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. – Trainer Mick Halford has saddled more than 1,000 winners at home in Ireland and sent horses out to race internationally, but he is set to have his first North American runner Saturday when Platinum Warrior starts in the Grade 1, $400,000 Secretariat Stakes.

Halford, a former jockey, said all is well with Platinum Warrior, who trained here for the first time Wednesday and has recovered from a minor shipping fever that slightly set him back Sunday into Monday.

While the horse’s health no longer is a concern for Halford, weather is. Platinum Warrior is here looking for firm going, and the heavy rain that hit Arlington on Tuesday would do him no favors. There’s a chance of rain here both Friday and Saturday, and if it comes, that would dent Platinum Warrior’s chances.

At his best, Platinum Warrior won the Group 3 Gallinule Stakes earlier this year by more than two lengths, and the horse who was second, Latrobe, returned to capture the Group 1 Irish Derby. Platinum Warrior started in that race, and Halford said the colt has a major excuse for his ninth-place finish since he hit the side of his head on the gate at the start and cut his mouth.

The tactics went poorly, too, with Platinum Warrior taken back off what turned into a slow pace. Halford has given the mount Saturday to Joel Rosario and will hope things turn out better in his first American start than in the Irish Derby back home.