War Story takes aim at Southwest Stakes

War Story, the runner-up in the Grade 3 Lecomte Stakes, likely will make his next start in the Grade 3, $300,000 Southwest Stakes at Oaklawn Park, co-owner Ron Paolucci said Wednesday.

“We’re 90 percent sure he’ll run in that spot,” said Paolucci, who races the horse with Christopher Dunn.

The Southwest is on Monday, Feb. 16, and the timing of the race works well for War Story, said Paolucci. The other option is to await the Grade 2, $400,000 Risen Star at the horse’s base of Fair Grounds on Feb. 21.

“He’s knocking down the barn,” Paolucci said. “We really don’t want to wait an extra [five] days. He’s training so good.”

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Paolucci said trainer Tom Amoss was working on plans to ship War Story to Oaklawn early to get a work in over the track. Paolucci said that work could happen over the weekend or on Monday.

War Story, a winner of 2 of 3 starts, was making his stakes debut in the Lecomte at Fair Grounds on Jan. 17. He did not get the break and rallied from off the pace to finish 2 1/2 lengths behind multiple stakes winner International Star.

“The horse that beat us is a really nice horse,” Paolucci said. “We planned on being three or four [lengths] in front of him [early] instead of four or five back. For his third lifetime start, we were very happy with the race.”

War Story is a Triple Crown nominee by Northern Afleet. He won his career debut in a seven-furlong maiden special weight race at Churchill Downs on Nov. 1. At that time, he was owned by Harry Rosenblum and trained by Ron Moquett, who have Smarty Jones Stakes winner Far Right on deck for the Southwest.

Bayerd, Mr. Z breeze for Southwest

Oaklawn had a pair of Southwest candidates on the work tab Wednesday in Bayerd and Mr. Z, who finished second and third in the Smarty Jones Stakes at Oaklawn on Jan. 19.

Mr. Z breezed in company in the first set, going five furlongs in 1:01. The move was the second-fastest of 51 at the distance. Mr. Z broke off about five lengths behind workmate Will Did It, moved to his company into the stretch, and then came through up the rail to finish clear of his workmate, who went the same distance in 1:03.

Bayerd also breezed in company, going five furlongs in 1:03.40 in the second set. The pair went into their work together, with Bayerd situated on the fence and finishing about a neck in front at the wire. Bayerd won the $250,000 Springboard Mile at Remington Park one start before the Smarty Jones.

Other candidates for the Southwest include Private Prospect, a multiple stakes winner who was fourth in the Smarty Jones in his first start since the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile; Instant Replay, a sweeping allowance route winner at Oaklawn; and Kantune, an impressive maiden special weight route winner, also at Oaklawn.

– additional reporting by David Grening