Warriors Revenge begins new leg of his amazing journey

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – From racing for as cheap as $5,000, to nearly losing an eye, to winning all seven of his starts this year, Warriors Revenge has been somewhat of a rags-to-riches story. Sunday, he’ll try to write a new chapter when he puts his win streak on the line in a first-level New York-bred allowance, which passes as the co-featured event on a stakes-less nine-race program at Aqueduct.

After finishing seventh for maiden $25,000 claiming at Belmont Park in July 2020, Warriors Revenge has made his last 19 starts at Finger Lakes. In June 2021, he was claimed for $7,500 – after racing six straight times for $5,000 – by trainer Jonathan Buckley for the Windylea Farm of Phil and Kip O’Neill.

According to Kip O’Neill, Warriors Revenge nearly lost an eye in the summer of 2021. Between Buckley and his veterinarians, they were able to save the eye. This year, Warriors Revenge was put in some soft open-company starter races and he won them all – with one New York-bred allowance sprinkled in.

“I was talking with Jon the other day and I said he’s paying us back royally for taking care of him and the eye,” O’Neill said. “Finding that starter level he was eligible for most of the year gave him confidence. He’s run that race a couple of different ways. He can go to the lead or he can track.

“I would say he’s at the top of his game right now,” O’Neill added. “How that transitions down to [Aqueduct], we’re unsure.”

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Buckley doesn’t leave the Finger Lakes region so Warriors Revenge will start for Mark Hennig, one of two trainers Windylea employs on the NYRA circuit.

Kevin Navarro, the regular rider of Warriors Revenge, has the call from post 6 in this 11-horse field.

The race includes another Finger Lakes shipper in Zircon, who has gone 5 for 7 this year for trainer Christopher Progno. Victory Built, second to Zircon on Nov. 9, won a first-level New York-bred allowance at Aqueduct on Nov. 26 with a career-best 86 Beyer Speed Figure.

Progno doesn’t like the rail draw for Zircon, but is more concerned about a forecast that calls for rain Sunday afternoon.

“I’m hoping we don’t get a sloppy or sealed racetrack,” Progno said. “I really like my horse, I wish I had a little bit better post position. If the track is okay, I’m not too concerned about the post position because he’s got a lot of tactical speed.”

The locally based Today’s Flavor figures to take plenty of action coming off a dominant 8 1/2-length maiden victory here on Nov. 27. That was his first start for trainer George Weaver, who took over the training of the Laoban gelding from Doug O’Neill. In his first start versus statebreds here on Sept. 23, Today’s Favor reared up at the break and never overcame the disastrous start, finishing fifth.

When racing in Southern California, Today’s Flavor finished second in maiden races to Laurel River and Essential Wager, both of whom became graded stakes winners for trainer Bob Baffert.

The Institute is yet another Finger Lakes invader in good form. He won four of his last six starts for trainer Michael Ferraro. Sunday, he starts for Linda Rice, herself coming off a three-win Thursday.

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