Warrior's Charge placed first following stretch foul in Philip Iselin Stakes

Warrior's Charge and Pirate's Punch went one-two all the way around the Monmouth Park oval on Sunday, trading leads on the far turn before Pirate's Punch crossed the wire first in the Grade 3, $200,000 Philip H. Iselin Stakes.

However, they then traded positions a final time, as Pirate's Punch was disqualified for interference in deep stretch, giving Warrior's Charge the victory.

Warrior's Charge ($3), sent away favored in a scratch-depleted field of four under Paco Lopez, led Pirate's Punch and Jorge Varga, Jr., by half a length through an opening half mile in 47.46 seconds. Pirate's Punch persisted in the two path as the two dueled around the turn, and poked a head in front nearing the quarter pole.

He edged clear to a half-length lead as neither yielded down the stretch, but drifted in under right-handed urging from Vargas near the sixteenth pole. Warrior's Charge steadied, with Lopez noticeably standing in the irons before the finish line.

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Pirate's Punch pulled clear in those final yards to cross the wire 1 1/2 lengths in front. However, after a stewards' inquiry in addition to a rider objection, the gelding was disqualified to second for the interference.

"He came in on me pretty good," Lopez said. "I had to steady because of him. I had to completely stand up and stop riding. He came over. I think the stewards did the right thing. I had to completely stop riding my horse. I think my horse was still trying hard. I think if I had a little room he would have come back to win, because he’s a fighter. . . . That hole was there and then it closed very quickly when that horse came over on us."

After Warrior's Charge crossed the wire in second, it was three-quarters of a length to Bal Harbour in third, with Just Whistle bringing up the rear, another 1 1/2 lengths back.

The final time for the 1 1/16 miles was 1:43.37.

Warrior's Charge, a 4-year-old son of Munnings, is trained by Brad Cox for Ten Strike Racing and Madaket Stables. The colt was fourth in the 2019 Preakness in his stakes debut, then went to the sidelines for most of his 3-year-old campaign. He resurfaced in December to win an optional-claiming race at Fair Grounds, followed by the Grade 3 Razorback Handicap in February at Oaklawn Park.

Warrior's Charge then finished second in the Grade 2 Oaklawn Handicap in May, beaten 1 3/4 lengths by By My Standards. In his start prior to the Iselin, he checked in fourth in the Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap on July 4 at Belmont.

Cox said that Warrior's Charge would ship back to his Kentucky base on Sunday. The Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile on Nov. 7 at Keeneland is the colt's ultimate goal.