War Story to take shot at Whitney

ELMONT, N.Y. – War Story, the winner of the Grade 2 Brooklyn Invitational on June 10 in his most recent start, will make his next start in the Grade 1, $1.2 million Whitney Stakes at Saratoga on Aug. 5, co-owner Ron Paolucci said Wednesday.

Paolucci had initially said that War Story would run in the $200,000 West Virginia Governor’s Stakes at Mountaineer on the same day.

Paolucci said in his discussions with trainer Jorge Navarro that War Story “is doing too good.”

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“We don’t want to waste a race, and it probably won’t be that big a field,” Paolucci said. “Third in the Whitney is as much as winning the Mountaineer race, not that we’re conceding first or second. I know the competition is tough, but he’s better than he’s ever been. Why not take a shot at it?”

The Whitney is expected to attract Gun Runner, Mor Spirit, and Keen Ice.

Paolucci said he also intends to start Cautious Giant as a pacesetter, or rabbit, for War Story in the Whitney. Cautious Giant, a 6-year-old gelding, was successfully used as a rabbit by Paolucci for Imperative in the $1.25 million Charles Town Classic. On Monday, Cautious Giant won a six-furlong optional-claiming race at Thistledown.

Paolucci said Cautious Giant would be trained by Anthony Quartarolo and ridden by Delaware Park-based apprentice Jose A. Bracho.