Farmer Phil moves Poseidon’s Warrior close to $1 million mark

Farmer Phil had to overcome rain and a sloppy track in his career debut at Oaklawn Park yesterday, but the 3-year-old gelding by Poseidon’s Warrior was up to the task. Farmer Phil broke well with veteran Jon Court aboard, then stalked the early pace before swinging wide into the stretch and getting up at the wire by one-half length. He earned a check for $13,200, and not only became his sire’s eighth winner of 2018, he vaulted Poseidon’s Warrior to within less than $7,000 of the million-dollar mark in progeny earnings with his first crop. Reaching that milestone could happen today when stakes-winning Firenze Fire takes on several other Kentucky Derby hopefuls in the $1 million, Gr. II Wood Memorial at Aqueduct.