River Boyne, War of Will top big list of Shoemaker Mile possibles

River Boyne, the star California miler, and War of Will, the 2019 Preakness Stakes winner, will be part of a large field in the Grade 1 Shoemaker Mile on May 25 at Santa Anita, a race with long-term ramifications for the turf mile division.

The winner receives a fees-paid berth to the Breeders’ Cup Mile at Keeneland in November.

The $300,000 Shoemaker Mile could have a double-digit field. As of Sunday, runners such as Blitzkrieg, Majestic Eagle, March to the Arch, Neptune’s Storm, Next Shares, True Valour, and Voodoo Song are other probable starters.

Trainer Chad Brown indicated in a text message that he will finalize his plans early in the week for the Shoemaker Mile as well as the Grade 1 Gamely Stakes for fillies and mares at 1 1/8 miles on turf May 25 at Santa Anita.

River Boyne won the Grade 1 Frank Kilroe Mile on March 7 for his seventh stakes win in 22 starts. Sunday, River Boyne worked five furlongs in 1:01.20 on the infield training track.

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Trained by Jeff Mullins, River Boyne has won six stakes on turf at Santa Anita.

“You don’t want to give up home-court advantage,” co-owner Tim Cohen said Sunday.

Abel Cedillo will ride River Boyne. Cedillo rode the 5-year-old River Boyne to wins earlier this year in the Grade 3 Thunder Road Stakes in February and the Kilroe Mile.

Flavien Prat will ride War of Will, trainer Mark Casse said Sunday.

War of Will was ninth in the BC Classic here last November in his most recent start. The Shoemaker Mile will be his first appearance on turf since a fifth in the BC Juvenile Turf at Churchill Downs in November 2018.

Aside from the Preakness Stakes, War of Will won two other stakes in 2019, including the Grade 2 Risen Star Stakes at Fair Grounds.

The Gamely field is expected to include Lady Prancealot, winner of the Grade 1 American Oaks for 3-year-old fillies in December.

There is racing from Friday through May 25 next weekend in recognition of the Memorial Day holiday. Unfortunately, Santa Anita is not hosting spectators at this time because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Saturday’s program is led by the Grade 2 Charles Whittingham Stakes, a $200,000 race at 1 1/4 miles on turf. United, second in the BC Turf here last November, will be favored. United was sent to Dubai for the Group 1 Sheema Classic on March 29, but the event was canceled on March 22 because of the pandemic.

United was flown back to California days later.