Cox Eyes Oaklawn Handicap With Warrior's Charge

Razorback Handicap (G3) winner Warrior's Charge returned to training Feb. 21 at Oaklawn Park to begin preparations for his next major local target, the $1 million Oaklawn Handicap (G2) for older horses at 1 1/8 miles April 18. Whether the bulk of the preparation is at Oaklawn or Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots—where trainer Brad Cox keeps his main divisions—remains to be seen.

In his 4-year-old debut in the Feb. 17 Razorback at Oaklawn, Warrior's Charge recorded his biggest victory in frontrunning fashion under Florent Geroux, turning back a bid from Bankit to win by a head. He entered the race off a Dec. 18 allowance optional claiming win at Fair Grounds after being away since a fourth in the Preakness Stakes (G1).

The 1 1/16-mile Razorback was a replay of the colt's three previous victories as Warrior's Charge led at every point of call after being hustled from the gate. He scored two powerful victories last year at Oaklawn, breaking his maiden by six lengths and clearing his first allowance condition by 6 1/2 lengths.

"I don't think he has to be on the lead," said Cox, who trains the son of Munnings  for Ten Strike Racing and Madaket Stables. "I think he can sit off horses."

Oaklawn's next major two-turn race for older horses is the March 14 Essex Handicap. Cox plans to be represented in the race by Night Ops, a Feb. 9 allowance-level winner for prominent Arkansas car dealer Steve Landers. Night Ops finished second in the Oaklawn Invitational Stakes last year and third in the first division of the Jan. 25 Fifth Season Stakes.

Also returning to the track Friday for Cox were Wells Bayou and Answer In—second and third, respectively, Monday in the Southwest Stakes (G3) for 3-year-olds. Cox said both are candidates for the $1 million Rebel Stakes (G2) March 14, Oaklawn's third of four Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) points races.

Pointed for the next major race for 3-year-old fillies at Oaklawn—the March 7 Honeybee Stakes (G3)—is the Steve Asmussen-trained Wicked Whisper, owner Alex Lieblong of Conway, Ark., told Oaklawn publicity Feb. 20.

From the first crop of Liam's Map , Wicked Whisper breezed five furlongs Feb. 14 in 1:02 at Fair Grounds, where she has been training this winter. She won her debut at Saratoga Race Course last summer and the Frizette Stakes (G1) at Belmont Park in her second start. She ended the year with a fifth in the Nov. 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) at Santa Anita Park. 

"But anytime you have one coming off a layoff, you hold your breath," Lieblong said. "She's been working with some good horses. A couple of workmates have been stakes winners. She's worked with (grade 1 Runhappy Hopeful Stakes winner) Basin once that I know of. She's not been hanging around cheap horses."

Though she has largely kept a weekly breezing pattern at Fair Grounds this month, Wicked Whisper did not work Friday, though other Asmussen-trained stakes winners did breeze there. Magic Dance went five furlongs in 1:01 3/5, and Nitrous covered a half-mile in :49 4/5.

The Honeybee is the final major local prep for the April 10 Fantasy Stakes (G3). 

In other Oaklawn news, jockey Jon Court, 59, will miss the remainder of the meet with a collapsed lung after being injured in an incident shortly before the fourth race Feb. 13, agent Steve Krajcir said Friday. Court was scheduled to ride first-time starter Line of Faith in the sprint for Arkansas-bred maiden claiming fillies and mares, but he was unseated approaching the gate. Fernando De La Cruz replaced him, and the filly finished third.

Court was Oaklawn's leading rider in 2000 and has 688 victories at the track.

Owner/trainer C. R. Trout reported that his homebred millionaire Shotgun Kowboy has been retired because of a sesamoid fracture. An 8-year-old Oklahoma-bred son of Kodiak Kowboy, Shotgun Kowboy won 15 races, eight stakes, including the 2015 Oklahoma Derby (G3) at Remington Park. He was scratched from an allowance-level race Friday.