Extendo Returns to Winning Form in Warrior’s Pride Handicap

HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – Robert Cotran’s Extendo returned to winning form in Sunday’s $70,000 Warrior’s Pride at Gulfstream Park, breaking a nine-race losing streak in the five-furlong overnight handicap for 3-year-olds and up on turf.

Perhaps, the most surprising aspect of the Joe Orseno 6-year-old warrior’s victory is that it came on the turf course, over which he had won only once in 16 tries, that coming the last time he recorded a victory 10 starts ago.

A six-time winner on Tapeta, Extendo ($20.20) got the job done Sunday under a perfectly executed ride by Edwin Gonzalez, who let the son of Handsome Mike settle into stride as Rouki, the 4-5 favorite went right to the lead, looking very much like the winner after showing the way to mid-stretch before Gonzalez got Extendo into gear. The Orseno trainee responded with ground-devouring strides to catch the pacesetter by a half-length at the wire.

“He’s a really nice horse. He tries. I knew the 1 (Rouki) has a lot of speed so I wanted to sit behind him. Turning for home, I asked him and he went on and passed him,” Gonzalez said.

Extendo ran five furlongs over a good turf course in 55.71 seconds. Rouki finished a neck ahead of Mattingly, Extendo’s Orseno stablemate. Racing with blinkers for the first time, stales-winning Mattingly raced evenly before making up some round in the stretch.