Warrant eyeing more derbies
GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas – Warrant became a stakes winner in the $300,000 Texas Derby on Monday, when he got up by three-quarters of a length. Warrant earned a career-high Beyer Speed Figure of 90 in his second two-turn start following a runner-up finish in the $300,000 Oaklawn Stakes on May 1.
“He was very impressive,” said Brad Cox, who trains Warrant for Twin Creek Racing Stables. “He seems to continue to move forward. We always thought he was a horse that would like more ground.
“The other day he had a little bit of a wide trip. It was a good trip – he was able to get there. We’re pleased with his progress this spring. He’s a horse that should be competitive at the graded stakes level the second half of the year.”
Cox said Warrant would be considered for races like the Grade 3, $500,000 Ohio Derby on June 26 at Thistledown or the Grade 3, $300,000 Indiana Derby on July 7 at Indiana Grand. Cox won the Indiana Derby last year with Shared Sense.
Warrant has returned home to Kentucky.
“First and foremost, we’ll let him determine what we do,” Cox said. “Obviously, the ship down to Texas, it’s a little bit of a hike. We’ll give him time to recover with the ship and everything.”
Cox said the timing of the Ohio Derby could be a bit tight for Warrant. He said a game plan would be made in consultation with Twin Creek Racing.
Warrant was the second next-out winner to emerge from the Oaklawn Stakes. His stablemate Fulsome won the race and came back to capture the Matt Winn at Churchill Downs.
◗ Lone Star’s schedule shifts this week. The track will add Mondays for the remainder of the season that runs through July 11. Lone Star’s race week will now run from Friday through Monday, with the exception of a Thursday card on July 8.