By Alan Carasso
The recipient of a textbook, ground-saving ride from Hector Berrios, Game Warrior (Game Winner) threaded the needle in the stretch and outbattled an unlucky Iron Man Cal (Collected) to the line in the traditional opening-day feature of the Del Mar summer meeting, the restricted Oceanside Stakes.
Equipped with the blinkers that were removed for the first time in his career when a closing third to Day and Age (Omaha Beach) as the tepid favorite in a one-mile Santa Anita allowance on June 13, the dark bay colt was allowed to find his footing and settled in the latter third of the field, a spot or two ahead of odds-on Iron Man Cal, who was ridden cold one from the tail after stumbling very badly from gate three.
Traveling nicely into the final three furlongs, Game Warrior pinched ground at the fence and moved into striking position before taking a narrow gap between pacesetting Kale's Angel (Complexity) and Cali Cat (American Pharoah) in upper stretch. In the meantime, Iron Man Cal went for a run up the fence and was more or less on even terms with the eventual winner in the final 50 yards before just being outgamed. Lyle the Crocodile (Ire) (Inns of Court {Ire}) was also off to a slow beginning, but rallied down the center for a slice.
A maiden winner in six trips to the races last season, Game Warrior belied odds of 34-1 to complete the exacta in the Feb. 16 Baffle Stakes down the hillside turf course ahead of a fourth in the Mar. 22 Rushaway Stakes over the Turfway synthetic. The $52,000 KEESEP yearling turned $200,000 OBSMAR breezer was fourth and not beaten far in the Cinema Stakes at Santa Anita May 11 prior to the aforementioned allowance.
The fourth stakes winner for his Lane's End-based sire, Game Warrior hails from the female family of Lady Samuri (First Samurai), the SW & GSP dam of treble graded-stakes winner Last Samurai (Malibu Moon) and SW Candy Raid (Candy Ride {Arg}). Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
CAESARS SPORTSBOOK OCEANSIDE S., $102,500, Del Mar, 7-18, (C), 3yo, 1mT, 1:36.32, fm.
1–GAME WARRIOR, 120, c, 3, by Game Winner
1st Dam: Le Mi Geaux (GSW, $171,390), by First Samurai
2nd Dam: Message Red, by Cryptoclearance
3rd Dam: Redeye Rain, by Instrument Landing
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN. ($52,000 Ylg '23 KEESEP; $200,000 2yo '24 OBSMAR). O-Jethorse LLC; B-George W Ruggiero (KY); T-Peter Miller; J-Hector Isaac Berrios. $60,000. Lifetime Record: 11-2-1-2, $159,075.
2–Iron Man Cal, 124, c, 3, Collected–Joyful Dreams, by Kitten's Joy. ($130,000 Ylg '23 KEESEP). O-Little Red Feather Racing & Madaket Stables LLC; B-Brereton C Jones (KY); T-Philip D'Amato. $20,000.
3–Lyle The Crocodile (Ire), 120, g, 3, Inns of Court (Ire)–Miriam's Song (GB), by Royal Applause (GB). 1ST BLACK-TYPE. (€4,000 Ylg '23 GOFOR2). O-CYBT, McLean Racing Stables, Michael Nentwig, Ray Pagano & Jeremy Peskoff; B-Jerry Murphy (IRE); T-Philip D'Amato. $12,000.
Margins: HF, NK, HD. Odds: 19.30, 0.50, 10.10.
Also Ran: Artislas, Cali Cat, Day and Age, Incanto (Ire), Kale's Angel, Bodi Zafa, Mala.
Charging up! 🎙️@HIBerrios & Game Warrior slip through traffic to capture the @CaesarsSports Oceanside Stakes. pic.twitter.com/xOaQzADgkp
— Del Mar Racetrack (@DelMarRacing) July 19, 2025
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