First World War wins bob at wire in Penn Mile

No, your eyes were not deceiving you. There were not one, but two flying dismounts from Frankie Dettori on a Friday evening at Penn National.

Dettori, one of the all-time great riders, had already captured the Penn Oaks aboard Poolside With Slim, and he swept the main stakes races on the program when First World War got his nose down right on the wire in the Grade 3, $400,000 Penn Mile for 3-year-olds.

Trained by Brendan Walsh, First World War was never in front except for the last jump. He steadied slightly off heels passing the stands for the first time, and Dettori hustled him up to race in the second flight from in between horses on the backstretch.

Meanwhile, Set was up top, leading through fractions of 23.09 seconds, 46.31, and 1:09.56 while pushed from the outside by favored Trikari.

Trikari worked hard to make the lead in upper stretch but was swarmed from both sides by a rail-skimming Aspenite and a four-wide First World War. Those three duked it out all the way to the finish, with First World War just getting the nod over Aspenite after 1:33.50 over firm turf.

Trikari was another neck behind in third. Good Lord Lorrie, Set, Please Advise, Freedom Principle, I Know Map, and Tropandhagen completed the order of finish. Dancing Groom scratched.

First World War paid $8.80 to win as the third choice in the betting.

:: Bet the races with a $200 First Deposit Match + FREE All Access PPs! Join DRF Bets.

Bred in Kentucky by Skyfall Thoroughbreds, First World War sold for $285,000 as a weanling, was bought back for $135,000 as a yearling, and races for Qatar Thoroughbreds and Hunter Valley Farm.

By War Front, First World War is the first foal out of Sundaysatthebeach, a Grade 3-placed dirt router by Medaglia d’Oro. His second dam, Ask the Moon, was a multiple Grade 1 winner routing on dirt.

A debut winner going a mile on turf at Kentucky Downs, First World War completed his 2-year-old campaign with a runner-up effort in Gulfstream’s Mucho Macho Man Stakes on dirt.

He won his 2024 debut, the Grade 3 Kitten’s Joy on turf at Gulfstream, then finished ninth of 12 in his final start before the Penn Mile, Keeneland’s Grade 3 Transylvania Stakes on April 5.

“The ground was a little soft that day,” trainer Brendan Walsh told Daily Racing Form on Wednesday afternoon when discussing the Transylvania. “I think he needs good, fast ground.”

First World War got that firm ground on Friday, but he also got Dettori. Walsh proved prophetic when concluding his interview earlier in the week.

“He’s got the right man in the irons, hasn’t he?” Walsh said.

:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.