Third time might be the charm for War Story in Charles Town Classic

The trainer Jorge Navarro broke a string of near misses in seven-figure Dubai races last month when X Y Jet won the $2.5 million Dubai Golden Shaheen.

“We broke the Dubai curse. Now maybe we can break the Charles Town curse,” Navarro said.

It’s not much as curses go, but Navarro the last two years has come close and failed to win the $1 million Charles Town Classic. War Story was third by a half-length in the 2017 renewal and second by a neck last year, and he looks like a main contender in Saturday’s edition of the richest race in West Virginia.

Navarro has a second starter in the race named Nanoosh, but it’s War Story who looks like one of the main players in this three-turn, nine-furlong race over Charles Town’s tight bullring oval. War Story, Kendrick Carmouche named to ride, is the tepid 7-2 morning-line favorite in a full field of 10. Bobby G. is the race’s lone also-eligible, but his trainer, Jose Corrales, has two others to start: 2018 Charles Town Classic winner Something Awesome and Unbridled Juan. A win by either would qualify as an upset, but not so with Rally Cry, who is listed at 9-2 on the line but could go off considerably lower than that. Diamond King is the 4-1 second choice on the line.

The Charles Town Classic is carded as race 11, post time 5:37 p.m. Eastern, on a 12-race, eight-stakes card. Weather could be a factor, but the heaviest rain in the area is forecast to clear out by Saturday morning, and if all goes well, the Classic could be run over a fast track.

KEY CONTENDERS

War Story, by Northern Afleet
Last 3 Beyers: 76-90-98

◗ Navarro acknowledges connections pushed on too long with War Story last fall. The gelding was over the top when he finished a distant sixth in the Grade 2 Marathon in November at Churchill Downs.

◗ War Story, Navarro said, got 70 days off before resuming training. “It was not easy making this race, but he took everything very well,” he said. “His first workout, I went straight to a half and he did it like nothing. Last workout, he went 1:12 like nothing again. From a layoff to a stake you always wonder if you did enough, but I think he’s ready.”

◗ War Story’s outside draw is a plus because he dislikes being inside other horses, according to his trainer.

Rally Cry, by Uncle Mo
Last 3 Beyers: 97-71-83

◗ Races for the first time since Sept. 1, when he broke from post 14, lost ground on both turns, and still finished a strong fourth in the Grade 1 Woodward at Saratoga. “Maybe I’m crazy,” trainer Todd Pletcher said, asked about coming back in a nine-furlong, $1 million race following seven-month layoff.

Of course, Pletcher is not crazy. Just the opposite, he carefully calibrates every move such as the decision to run Rally Cry fresh Saturday. Pletcher said the comeback prep race he gave Rally Cry for the Woodward didn’t really help the horse and noted that Rally Cry previously had turned in a strong performance first time back from a break. “In the end we decided why waste a start in a tough allowance race,” Pletcher said. “He’s a very impressive horse in the morning.”

◗ Pletcher twice has won the Charles Town Classic, with Stanford and Caixa Eletronica, and said Rally Cry, from a physical perspective, reminds him of both those horses. “Maybe I’m overthinking it, but he struck me as a horse who might like the bullring.”

Mongolian Groom, by Hightail
Last 3 Beyers: 97-93-86

◗ Could contend if he runs right back to a third-place finish in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap, but that race came just two weeks ago, and Mongolian Groom, who arrived Sunday night at Charles Town, is back on short rest after a long trip.

“He was a little stressed after the flight,” said trainer Enebish Ganbat. “For two days after he wasn’t eating and wasn’t right, but he’s better now. After that last race, we got brave!”

Diamond King, by Quality Road
Last 3 Beyers: 90-88-86

◗ Grade 3-type 3-year-old returned from a winter break to post a sharp Gulfstream Park allowance-race victory March 22.

◗ He has never raced at Charles Town but his tactical speed and ability to rate just off the pace should play well on this small oval.