Game Warrior (Benoit Photo)
Del Mar Press/Edited
DEL MAR, Calif.—Jethorse’s Game Warrior, a colt by the Candy Ride stallion Game Winner, beat winners for the first time in his 11th start and he picked a good day and a good spot to do it – Opening Day at Del Mar in the Oceanside Stakes.
The stretch runner got an excellent ride from Hector Berrios, who saved ground for most of the one-mile trip on the Del Mar lawn, then withstood a bumping incident near the eighth pole before going on to capture the $102,500 stakes by half a length.
“A good race for him. He was relaxed all the way. We had a little bit of trouble in the stretch; we got bumped some. But not too bad. When I asked him, he went. He was strong,” said Berrios.
Peter Miller trains the winner who picked up a check for $60,000 for his efforts.
“I did not pick him up. I said, ‘Whoever that is splitting horses looks like the winner’ and then my son said, ‘That’s Game, that’s Game’. When I saw the orange saddle towel I was like ‘Finish the deal,’ remarked Miller.
“Hector (Berrios) gave him a superb ride. Got him to the rail by the first turn out of the seven hole, saved all the ground and split horses through a tight opening.”
Finishing second was the 1-2 race favorite, Little Red Feather Racing or Madaket Stables’ Iron Man Cal, who stumbled badly at the break and was far back early, then came running late on the rail to nearly earn the top prize. Finishing third, a neck farther back, was CYBT, McLean Racing Stables, Nentwig, Pagano and Peskoff’s Lyle The Crocodile.
Fractions were :23.48, :48.21, 1:12.65, 1:24.68 and 1:36.32.
The stakes win is the first of the meet for rider Berrios and trainer Miller. It was Berrios’ first in the Oceanside and Miller’s Second winning wit Monster Bea in 2016. Berrios now has 20 stakes wins at Del Mar with Miller accumulating 49 stakes wins.
The winning owner is Eve Reger from Billings, Montana, racing under the non de course Jethorse.
Del Mar’s Opening Day attendance was 21,209, considered a sellout as the track limits attendance to allow for a more comfortable experience for its paying crowd. A series of longshots throughout the afternoon paved the way to a $127,247 Pick Six carryover that will be up for grabs on the Saturday card at the shore oval.
First post Saturday will be at 2 p.m.
