War of Will back to turf in Sunshine Forever Stakes

One of the horses likely to mentioned on Mark Casse’s Hall of Fame plaque is War of Will, who gave Casse his first U.S. classic victory in last year’s Preakness Stakes.

In 2020, Casse – announced Wednesday as the newest trainer elected to the Hall of Fame – hopes to make War of Will a Grade 1 winner on turf, a journey that begins Saturday in the $75,000 Sunshine Forever Stakes, scheduled for 1 1/16 miles over Gulfstream Park’s turf course.

War of Will, who as a 2-year-old went 0 for 4 on turf, was one of 11 horses entered for turf in the Sunshine Forever. There is one main-track-only entrant.

War of Will is certainly bred for the grass being by War Front out of the Sadler’s Wells mare Visions of Clarity, an Irish-bred mare who is a half-sister to Breeders’ Cup Mile winner Spinning World.

War of Will began his career on turf finishing third in a maiden race and second in the Grade 1 Summer Stakes, both at Woodbine. After running fourth in the Grade 3 Bourbon at Keeneland, War of Will finished fifth, beaten 3 1/2 lengths, in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf at Churchill in 2018.

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“He did not have a great trip in the Breeders’ Cup because I think he could have easily won the Breeders’ Cup,” Casse said Wednesday from Ocala. “Thank God he didn’t.”

At 3, War of Will was put on the dirt and won his first three starts, including the Grade 3 Lecomte and Grade 2 Risen Star. After a hind-end issue emerged following a ninth-place finish in the Lousiana Derby, War of Will finished eighth, placed seventh, in the Kentucky Derby. He was one of the horses Maximum Security was deemed to have bothered in the Derby, leading to Maximum Security’s disqualification from first.

War of Will bounced back with a perfect-trip victory in the Preakness. He went 0 for 4 the remainder of the year, ending with a ninth-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Santa Anita.

“Maybe he was tired, he had a long year,” Casse said. “Since then we brought him home, gave him a couple of months off, and he looks wonderful. Our hopes are to try and make him a Grade 1 winner on the grass. Saturday would be the first part of the voyage.”

The Sunshine Forever drew a strong field. Admission Office, second in the Grade 2 Mac Diarmida with a 106 Beyer, shortens up for Brian Lynch. El Tormenta, who upset the Casse-trained Got Stormy in the Grade 1 Woodbine Mile last year; Social Paranoia, winner of the Grade 3 Appleton; and Halladay, winner of a fast allowance race; are the main contenders.

Cullum Road, Hawkish, Highland Sky, Sand Dancer, Aquaphobia, and Regally Irish complete the field. Just Whistle was entered for the main track.