Warrior's Charge digs in to take Razorback Handicap

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Warrior’s Charge signaled his intent to be a player in the handicap division on Monday, when the 4-year-old dug down deep to hold off Bankit for a head win in the Grade 3, $500,000 Razorback at Oaklawn. It was another 4 1/4 lengths back to Snapper Sinclair in third.

The Razorback was the first start in a handicap for Warrior’s Charge, who last year ran fourth in the Preakness after winning a pair of overnight races at Oaklawn. The victory Monday came off a December allowance win at Fair Grounds in which he met older horses for the first time. The effort sent him to post as the 3-1 favorite in a highly competitive Razorback.

Warrior’s Charge ($8) shot to the lead at the start, and was up by 1 1/2 lengths through an opening quarter in 23.69 seconds. He maintained a clear advantage through a half-mile in 47.85 and six furlongs in 1:12.51. In the stretch, Warrior’s Charge had a serious challenger on his hands in second-choice Bankit, and fought him off, managing one last spurt to get the win. Warrior’s Charge covered the mile and a sixteenth on a fast track in 1:43.

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“He’s a good gate horse,” winning rider Florent Geroux told publicity at Oaklawn. “He always puts himself in a great position. Took advantage of it, went to the lead, and he relaxed nicely for me on the backside. When he saw that other horse coming down the lane, he fought very hard to the wire. It was great."

Brad Cox trains Warrior’s Charge and told Oaklawn publicity the horse could make his next start in either the $350,000 Essex Handicap on March 14 or the Grade 2, $1 million Oaklawn Handicap on April 18. Both races are at Oaklawn.

“We’ll keep him here and point for one of those races,” said Cox.

Warrior’s Charge was winning his first stakes in the Razorback and for the effort he earned $300,000. He has now won 4 of 8 starts and has career earnings of $565,310. Warrior’s Charge is a son of Munnings who races for Ten Strike Racing and Madaket Stables.

The Razorback was one of three stakes on the card. Silver Prospector won the Grade 3, $750,000 Southwest Stakes and Go Google Yourself captured the Grade 3, $200,000 Bayakoa.

Racing resumes Thursday.