‘WARRIOR’ ON COMEBACK TRAIL, WINS AT BIG M
Recently, times have been tough for Warrior One, a veteran whose lifetime earnings are nearing $800,000 ...
EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ -- November 22, 2024 -- Recently, times have been tough for Warrior One, a veteran whose lifetime earnings are nearing $800,000, but the Ron Burke trainee got back into the winner’s circle for the first time since June 20 Friday night in the $11,000 conditioned trotting feature at The Meadowlands, and looked impressive doing it to snap a seven-race losing streak.
“The way he’s been racing he should have been in non-winners of $1,000,” said a sarcastic winning owner-driver Yannick Gingras in the back paddock after the victory at the non-winners of $5,000 level. “But he has great class. He hasn’t been racing to his level [of late] but tonight he was really good.”
Warrior One sat a pocket to the quarter, where Love This Bar had the top in :28.4. Starlit Rambo then made his way to the point at the half, leading at that call in :57.3 as Warrior One vacated the rail from the three-hole at the five-eighths to go after the leader. He turned a 1-length deficit at three-quarters (Starlit Rambo was there in 1:27.2) into a 2-length edge at the top of the lane before going on to an easy 3-length score in 1:56.4. A pair of 38-1 longshots, Love This Bar and Altus Hanover, finished second and third, respectively.
“[In this class] it’s supposed to be easy for him and I think it was a step in the right direction,” said Gingras.
Little Expensive, the 4-5 favorite, was never involved on the way to a lackluster fifth-place finish.
An 8-year-old gelded son of Father Patrick-Yoga, Warrior One scored for the 39th time from 158 lifetime starts. He returned $7 to his backers as the 5-2 second choice.
A LITTLE MORE: JM Betonsix snuck up the rail to nail stakes-caliber 3-year-old filly – and 3-5 favorite – Canigetalouploup by a nose in 1:54.1 as the 6-1 fourth choice in the pacing feature, an $18,000 conditioned event for fillies and mares. The 6-year-old daughter of Betting Line-Six Of Hearts was driven by Braxten Boyd and trained by Blake MacIntosh. … There were no winning tickets sold on the 20-cent Pick-6, creating a carryover of $3,690 for Saturday’s card. Those with five correct selections collected $165.32. … All-source handle on the 14-race card totaled $2,126,456. … Racing resumes Saturday at 6:20 p.m.
