Oh My Warrior pays $22.60 the hard way

On Feb. 2, Oh My Warrior finished second at Gulfstream Park, three-quarters of a length behind the winner, and three and three-quarters of a length ahead of the fourth horse, favored Hard Way Winner. Despite that, when the two met again yesterday racing 6 1/2 furlongs at Gulfstream, the bettors sent Hard Way Winner and jockey Luis Saez off at 5/2 and Oh My Warrior and Leonel Reyes off at 10-1. It proved to be a big mistake.

Reyes moved the Poseidon’s Warrior ridgling off the rail on the turn and Oh My Warrior exploded in the stretch for a 2 1/2-length score over Hard Way Winner, becoming his sire’s fifth winner this year, paying $22.60 and earning a check of $21,000 for owner/breeder Just For Fun Stable. Poseidon’s Warrior now has $243,367 in 2018 progeny earnings, and is the leader among Florida’s second-crop sires.