Lightnin Runner the First Winner for Battalion Runner
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Photo: Coglianese Photos/Lauren King
Battalion Runner wins an allowance optional claiming race at Gulfstream Park
Lightnin Runner ran to her name in her career debut, winning a maiden special weight event at Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races July 2 to become the first winner for first-crop sire Battalion Runner .
Ridden by Antonio Lopez, Lightnin Runner broke alertly in the 4 1/2-furlong race and dueled for the early lead down the backstretch. She surged clear in deep stretch to score comfortably by a length at odds of 30-1. The 2-year-old filly was produced by the winning Mineshaft mare My Lightnin Strike. Bred in West Virginia by Ronney and Nicole Brown, Lightnin Runner is campaigned by George Nyren and trained by Angel Rodriguez.
Lightnin Runner was also the first starter for Battalion Runner, a multiple-graded stakes-placed son of Unbridled's Song out of the Tapit mare Tamboz. A $700,000 Keeneland September yearling, Battalion Runner hails from a strong female family that includes Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1) winner Tapizar and champion Untapable as well as grade 1 winners Olympio, Cuvee, and Paddy O'Prado.
After breaking his maiden impressively second time out at Gulfstream Park, Battalion Runner captured an allowance optional claiming race before finishing second to Irish War Cry , and ahead of subsequent Preakness Stakes (G1) victor Cloud Computing , in the 2017 Wood Memorial Stakes presented by NYRA Bets (G1). He was later third in the Dwyer Stakes (G3).
Battalion Runner stood the 2022 breeding season at Ocala Stud in Ocala, Fla., for $1,500.