Warrior’s Charge Wins G3 Phillip H. Iselin

It was a second 2020 stakes win for Warrior’s Charge (4c Munnings x Battling Brook, by Broken Vow) on Saturday when he took home the Grade III Phillip H. Iselin Stakes at Monmouth Park.

Racing over 1 1/16 miles on dirt, Warrior’s Charge went to the lead by the time they hit the first turn as a confident Paco Lopez barely moved a muscle on him. After having a fairly unpressured run, he was headed around the far turn and had to dig deep in a three-furlong duel to the wire with Pirate’s Punch.

Coming back at Pirate’s Punch after losing the lead in midstretch, Warrior’s Charge was eating into the margin on the rail when forced to steady in the final sixteenth. After a steward’s inquiry, Warrior’s Charge was declared the winner

Finishing in the top two in three of his four stakes starts this year, Warrior’s Charge is trained by Brad Cox for Ten Strike Racing and Madaket Stables.

Bred by Al Shaquab Racing, he’s the first foal out of the stakes placed Battling Brook, who is the eighth generation of her family to produce at least one stakes horse. Battling Brook’s dam is a half-sister to two stakes horses with Grade 2 winner El Coliseo and Bosque Redondo further back in the family.

Battling Brook produced a full brother to Warrior’s Charge this year.

Warrior’s Charge is one of eight stakes winners and 14 stakes horses for Munnings in 2020, including GI Kentucky Oaks hopefuls Venetian Harbor and Bonny South.