Lightnin Runner ran to her name in her career debut, winning a maiden special weight event at Charles Town on Saturday, July 2, to become the first winner for her sire Battalion Runner, who stands at Ocala Stud.

Ridden by Antonio Lopez, Lightnin Runner broke alertly in the 4 ½-furlong race and dueled for the early lead down the backstretch. She surged clear in the late stages to score comfortably by a length at the finish. The bay filly is produced from the winning Mineshaft mare My Lightnin Strike. Bred in West Virginia by Ronney and Nicole Brown, Lightnin Runner is campaigned by George Nyren and is trained by Angel Rodriguez.

Battalion Runner, a Grade 1-placed son of the legendary Unbridled’s Song, finished a clear second to Irish War Cry in the $750,000 Wood Memorial (G2) at Aqueduct, defeating subsequent Preakness S. (G1) winner Cloud Computing. He also finished third in the Dwyer S. (G3) to Practical Joke, missing second by just a neck.

Trained by Todd Pletcher, Battalion Runner won a maiden special weight by a dominating 8 ¾ lengths at Gulfstream in his second start at two and then captured his 3-year-old bow and two-turn debut going 1 1/16 miles at Gulfstream. A $700,000 Keeneland September yearling, Battalion Runner is produced from the Tapit mare Tamboz, a full sister to Tapizar from the deep female family of Grade 1 winners Olympio, Untapable, Cuvee, and Paddy O Prado.