War of Will sets new sights
After unimpressive fifth in Jim Dandy, horse gets set for Pennsylvania Derby
War of Will got back to work Sunday.
The Preakness winner, who was a flop in the Jim Dandy at Saratoga when he last raced, began to rev up his training for his next start. That will be in the Grade I, $1 million Pennsylvania Derby at Parx on Saturday, Sept. 21.
War of Will, with exercise rider Sammy Jimenez on his back, worked a bullet five furlongs in a time of 59.55 seconds Sunday morning on the main track. It was the fastest of 24 recorded works at the distance.
“I thought he went well,” trainer Mark Casse said back at the barn when the work was done. “I was trying to get a little air into him. I wanted to get him tired because we are three weeks out from the race.”
War of Will, who won the Preakness after a troubled trip in the Kentucky Derby that ultimately led to the disqualification of winner Maximum Security (the first time that has happened in the 145-year history of the Run for the Roses during the running of the race), had not had success in his last two starts.
He was ninth in the Belmont Stakes and then was fifth in the Jim Dandy here on July 27. After that race, Casse decided to skip the Travers and wait for the Pennsylvania Derby.
“Every horse can throw in a little bit of a clunker,” Casse said. “Some days, they just have bad days.”
Casse said that War of Will will leave Saratoga on Tuesday and continue his preparation for the Pennsylvania Derby at Belmont Park. Casse said his horse will be shipped to Parx the day of the race.
Maximum Security going too
Trainer Jason Servis said that Maximum Security, who is still getting fan mail after the debacle in the Kentucky Derby, is on target to run in the 11/8 mile Pennsylvania Derby as well.
Servis said that Maximum Security will ship to Parx, which is located in Bensalem, Pa. this Friday for a work over the track. He will then be vanned back to his base at Monmouth Park.
“We will ship him back down nine or 10 days after that to breeze him again,” Servis, who was in Saratoga, said Sunday morning at his barn. “Then, we’ll either stay there or go back to Monmouth.”
Maximum Security, who won the Haskell in his last start, was pulled for consideration for the Travers by Servis because that race in New Jersey, which was delayed two hours because of oppressive heat on July 20, took too much out of him.
“It was a tough, hot day, and he ran hard,” Servis said. “I think he was glad I didn’t run him in the Travers. I would have loved to run him in the Travers. I would say he is starting to get some good color to him, but we still have to get through some things (two works). I think people are looking forward to seeing him run again.”
Preservationist to Gold Cup?
Trainer Jimmy Jerkens said on Sunday that Woodward winner Preservationist could still be targeted to run in the Grade I, $750,000 Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont Park on Saturday, Sept. 28.
The Woodward eased some of the sting of Preservationist’s fourthplace finish in the Whitney earlier in the meet.