War Story to Ohio Derby instead of Belmont Stakes

War Story, 16th in the Kentucky Derby, will not run in the Belmont Stakes on June 6 against American Pharoah and instead will point to the $500,000 Ohio Derby on June 20 at Thistledown, owner Ron Paolucci said Tuesday.

Last week, Paolucci said that it was intent to run War Story in the Belmont and put him on the lead under jockey Colby Hernandez.

Paolucci said trainer Tom Amoss told him that if he felt that was the only way they could win the race, they should probably run War Story somewhere else.

“So I'm going to leave my cowboy act at home and run in the race I probably should run in," Paolucci said.

Paolucci said that Amoss "would rather run in a race where we'd be 5-2 or 2-1 than 50-1 or 60-1."

"So I'll defer to him and do what's best for the horse," he said.

War Story worked five furlongs in 1:01.40 Tuesday morning at Churchill Downs, and Amoss was pleased with the work, according to Paolucci.

Paolucci is from Stow, Ohio, and said the Ohio Derby is “a race I’ve always wanted to win.”