Western Warrior leads Preakness qualifier Saturday at Oaklawn

Western Warrior tries to become a four-time winner at the 2025-2026 Oaklawn meeting in Saturday’s $200,000 Bathhouse Row Stakes for 3-year-olds at 1 1/8 miles.

The Bathhouse Row is the sixth race on the 12-race card, with probable post time 4:27 p.m. EDT. Racing begins at 1:45 p.m. EDT. The Bathhouse Row winner, if Triple Crown nominated, earns automatic entry into the Preakness on May 16 at Laurel.

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The Bathhouse Row drew eight entrants, with Western Warrior the 8-5 program favorite for breeder-owner Tracy Farmer and dual Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse. Western Warrior, a gelded son of champion Essential Quality, is making his stakes debut after winning his three starts at the meeting by a combined 17 1/2 lengths.

Western Warrior broke his maiden for a $35,000 claiming tag Jan. 2 and won starter-optional claimers Feb. 26 and March 26 under Ramon Vazquez, who retains the mount for the Bathhouse Row.

“We always liked him ever since he came into us in April at Keeneland,” said assistant trainer Caden Arthur, who oversees Casse’s Oaklawn division. “We always thought he was a real nice horse and he just didn’t really show much talent early. Kind of a late bloomer. We gelded him when we got to Oaklawn and that kind of worked for him. Ever since we gelded him and got to Oaklawn, he’s three-for-three and looks like a real nice horse. He’s got some good momentum going into the Bathhouse Stakes.”

Casse also trains another three-time winner this season at Oaklawn in Counting Stars, who is scheduled to make her next start in the Kentucky Oaks. Casse is seeking his record-tying 11th stakes victory at the meeting.

Arkansas-bred Honey’s to Blame (3-1) returns to stakes company after finishing a closing second against state-bred company in a 1 1/16-mile third-level allowance March 26 for co-owner and trainer Kenny McPeek. Honey’s to Blame was beaten a neck following an awkward start.

“Should have won last time,” McPeek said. “Stumbled to his knees leaving the gate. That was unfortunate. He was, I think, 1-5. Bridge jumpers didn’t like me that day.”

Honey’s to Blame finished seventh in the $1 million Rebel Stakes (G2) March 1, a 1 1/16-mile race that was Oaklawn’s third Kentucky Derby qualifying event.

The only Triple Crown nominees entered are Khon Han (10-1) for trainer Bernardo Lopez and Crupper (20-1) for trainer Donnie K. Von Hemel.

The fashionably bred Crupper exits a third-place finish in a Feb. 28 entry-level allowance at 1 1/16 miles. The winner, Exosome, made his next start in Oaklawn’s fourth and final Kentucky Derby qualifying race, the $1.5 million Arkansas Derby (G1) March 28. Crupper broke his maiden at 1 1/16 miles Feb. 6.

Von Hemel trains Crupper for his breeder, Tulsa, Okla., optometrist Robert H. Zoellner. Crupper is by Candy Ride out of She’s All In, a millionaire multiple stakes winner campaigned by Zoellner and Von Hemel. She’s All In has produced multiple stakes winner She’s All Wolfe and Grade 2 runner-up Bolzy for the duo. She’s All In died foaling last year, Zoellner said.

“Wasn’t good, but she really has created quite the family for Dr. Zoellner,” Von Hemel said. “I think (Crupper) is going to like the mile and an eighth. His mama and his siblings have all exceled the farther you go and looking forward to running this weekend.”

Crupper is named after Keith Crupper, Zoellner’s Kentucky farm manager.

Khon Han, who is two-for-three overall, will be making his first start outside Florida. He exits a three-length first-level allowance victory at 1 mile and 40 yards Feb. 16 at Tampa Bay Downs.