Game Warrior Upsets Del Mar’s Opening Day Oceanside originally appeared on Paulick Report.

Jethorse’s Game Warrior, a 3-year-old colt by the Candy Ride stallion Game Winner, beat winners for the first time in his 11th start and he picked a good day and a good spot to do it – opening day at Del Mar in the Oceanside Stakes.

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The stretch runner got an excellent ride from Hector Berrios, who saved ground for most of the one-mile trip on the Del Mar lawn, then withstood a bumping incident near the eighth pole before going on to capture the $102,500 stakes by a half-length.

Game Warrior, bred in Kentucky by George Ruggiero, was a $200,000 purchase by Jethorse at the OBS March Sale of 2-year-olds in training from the Eddie Woods consignment.

He paid $40.60 on a $2 wager to win the Oceanside.

“A good race for him,” said Berrios. “He was relaxed all the way. We had a little bit of trouble in the stretch; we got bumped some. But not too bad. When I asked him, he went. He was strong.”

Peter Miller trains the winner who picked up a check for $60,000 for his efforts.

“I did not pick him up,” Miller said. “I said ‘Whoever that is splitting horses looks like the winner’ and then my son said, ‘That’s Game, that’s Game’. When I saw the orange saddle towel I was like ‘Finish the deal.’ Hector (Berrios) gave him a superb ride. Got him to the rail by the first turn out of the seven hole, saved all the ground and split horses through a tight opening.”

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Finishing second was the 1-2 race favorite, Little Red Feather Racing or Madaket Stables’ Iron Man Cal, who stumbled badly at the break and was far back early, then came running late on the rail to nearly earn the top prize. Finishing third, a neck farther back, was CYBT, McLean Racing Stables, Nentwig, Pagano and Peskoff’s Lyle The Crocodile.

Opening day attendance at the seaside track north of San Diego, Calif., was 21,209, considered a sellout as the track limits attendance to allow for a more comfortable experience for its paying crowd. A series of longshots throughout the afternoon paved the way to a $127,247 Pick 6 carryover that will be up for grabs on Saturday.

First post Saturday will be at 2 p.m.

The stakes win is the first of the meet for rider Berrios and his first in the Oceanside. He now has 20 stakes wins at Del Mar.

The stakes win is the first of the meet for trainer Miller, but his second in the Oceanside (Monster Bea, 2016). He now has 49 stakes wins at Del Mar.

The winning owner is Jethorse (Eve Reger from Billings, Mont.

This story was originally reported by Paulick Report on Jul 19, 2025, where it first appeared.