Miller to enter Game Warrior in La Jolla Handicap
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Game Warrior, the upset winner of the Oceanside Stakes at a mile on turf on July 18, will be entered in Sunday’s $100,000 La Jolla Handicap for 3-year-olds at 1 1/16 miles on turf at Del Mar.
An entry is as far as trainer Peter Miller wanted to commit for the 3-year-old colt as of Wednesday. Game Warrior had a tune-up for the La Jolla Handicap with a three-furlong workout in 38.60 seconds on Tuesday.
“The horse is good to go,” he said. “He breezed super and came out of the race like nothing. I think we’ll certainly enter.”
Miller said there is a possibility that Game Warrior is held out of the La Jolla in favor of the Grade 2 Del Mar Derby at 1 1/8 miles on turf on Aug. 30, or even a race at Kentucky Downs at the end of the summer.
Game Warrior closed from eighth of 10 to win the Oceanside Stakes by a half-length at 18-1 for owner Steve Reger.
The list of candidates for the La Jolla Handicap is led by Freedom’s Not Free, who won two one-mile turf stakes at Santa Anita earlier this year – the Pasadena Stakes in March and Cinema Stakes in May – before he finished third by a length in the American Derby on turf at Churchill Downs on June 28.
Mark Glatt trains Freedom’s Not Free.
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