Warrior's Charge turns back Gun It, wins first race since Preakness

In his first start since the Preakness Stakes, Warrior’s Charge on Wednesday turned back fellow 3-year-old Gun It in the Fair Grounds stretch, prevailing in an allowance optional claiming feature that should send him on to something bigger.

The Munnings colt, who set the Preakness pace and stayed on for fourth last May, missed other top races for the division over the summer due to a case of colic. But connections have kept the faith, with Clay Sanders, a partner in co-owner Ten Strike Racing, saying before the comeback, “We know he’s going to be a Grade 1 horse.”

Warrior’s Charge also headed to the front in this 1 1/16-mile event, clicking off opening fractions of 25.87 and 50.47. Gun It narrowed the margin to a half-length through the far turn, then nudged up to run beside the 4-5 favorite in the stretch.

When jockey Florent Geroux asked, however, Warrior’s Charge answered by kicking away to win by two lengths.

The Brad Cox trainee improved dramatically last spring once stretched out, breaking his maiden by six lengths at Oaklawn Park in his fourth start. Warrior’s Charge returned to defeat winners by 6 1/2 lengths, prompting his ownership group, which also consists of Sol Kumin’s Madaket Stables, to pay a six-figure supplement for the Preakness spot.

Warrior’s Charge improved his career record to 7: 3-0-3 by repelling Gun It, a former $2.6 million Keeneland sales topper who has run greenly throughout his career but entered off a visually impressive allowance score at Churchill Downs.

Warrior’s Charge finished up in 1:45.62. Gun It was second at 6-5 with 30-1 shot Broth third in the field of five.

Sanders has said lucrative races into 2020, including the Oaklawn Handicap (G2), could be on Warrior's Charge's schedule.