KINGSTON, Jamaica - At five-years-old, Okoye Warrior has raced three times, securing victory in two of those outings. This chestnut mare, sired by Soul Warrior and out of Lady In Gold, has shown a preference for the straight course, with all her races thus far contested along that stretch. Her most recent win came on Saturday, January 25, 2025, where she effortlessly triumphed by 3½ lengths, clocking four furlongs in 47.3 seconds. Dick Cardenas was the winning rider.
This inclination to race exclusively over five straight furlongs hints at a more profound story. In an exclusive interview with Quickgallopja.com, the trainer of Okoye Warrior, Randolph Scott elaborated:
“Let us start at the beginning. In Okoye Warrior’s early years (two and three), she fractured her hip. This forced the team to put her on stall rest for over 14 months. That was not all, as Okoye Warrior developed other issues. She would not allow us to train her due to her behaviour in the mornings. The exercise riders and jockeys were unable to control her on the track. Then jockey Andre Martin used his vast experience to assist in tempering her behaviour.
“So, after many trials and tribulations, Okoye Warrior made her first start on October 19, 2024. Then we had high hopes, as we believed that Okoye Warrior had the quality to deliver. She won that race over the five straight, racing from the one draw, which is always a hindrance in a large field.
“To cut a long story short, Okoye Warrior is a talented mare with many problems, and these problems never seem to go away. By the way, Okoye Warrior cannot be whipped; she hates the use of the whip. Just look at her last race; Cardenas did not use the whip. At present, I am working long hours trying to get Okoye Warrior to race around the bend. As always, time is the master,” Scott shared.
