War of Will between Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile and Classic

Preakness Stakes winner War of Will is under consideration for the Grade 1, $1 million Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile on Nov. 2 at Santa Anita, trainer Mark Casse said Monday.

“We’re going to look at the Dirt Mile and also the Breeders’ Cup Classic,” he said. “We’re going to point toward both, just kind of see how things go.”

War of Will was the lone horse to race in all three legs of this year’s Triple Crown. He was elevated to seventh in the Kentucky Derby after a tangle with Maximum Security, the first-place finisher who was disqualified. War of Will then won the Preakness with authority before finishing ninth in the Belmont Stakes.

He will come into the Breeders’ Cup off a close third-place finish in the Pennsylvania Derby on Sept. 21 at Parx Racing. War of Will earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 96, a few points off the career-high 99 he earned in the Preakness.

“He’s doing well,” Casse said. “We have had some ups and downs. He’s an extremely talented horse. I thought his race in the Pennsylvania Derby was good the other day. It wasn’t great. I’m hoping for great the first week in November.”

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War of Will started his career on the grass and last year was fifth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf. He moved to dirt last winter and won the Lecomte and Risen Star at Fair Grounds. Next month will mark War of Will’s first start at Santa Anita.

“He definitely prefers some tracks over others,” Casse said. “I don’t know how he’ll react to Santa Anita. We’re going to give it a try.”

War of Will races for Gary Barber.

Owendale flattered War of Will by winning the Ohio Derby one start after he finished third in the Preakness. On Sunday night, he picked up a win in the Oklahoma Derby.

“We’re looking at the Breeders’ Cup,” Owendale’s trainer, Brad Cox, said Monday. “There’s two races, the Classic and the Dirt Mile, that are interesting. We’ll see how both come up.”

Pletcher pair possible

Trainer Todd Pletcher said the Dirt Mile is a consideration for Coal Front and Prince Lucky. Coal Front captured the Group 2 Godolphin Mile at Meydan in March, and Prince Lucky is coming off a runner-up finish in the Grade 2 Kelso at Belmont.

“I haven’t really discussed it in depth with the ownership,” Pletcher said Monday. “I’d say both are possibilities.”

Coal Front won the Parx Dirt Mile on Sept. 21, one start after finishing third, beaten 12 lengths, as the 4-5 favorite in the Grade 3 Monmouth Cup on July 20. He earned a Beyer Figure of 99 in the Parx Dirt Mile.

“I thought it was good he put the Monmouth Cup behind him,” Pletcher said. “I didn’t feel like he handled the conditions that day. It was incredibly hot at Monmouth. He just didn’t handle those conditions. I was happy to see him rebound. It was a good effort.”

Prince Lucky, winner of the Grade 2 Gulfstream Park Mile in March, has earned triple-digit Beyers in four of his six starts this year, with his latest a 102 in the Kelso. He is a son of 2007 Dirt Mile winner Corinthian.

Mitole arrives at Santa Anita

Mitole is an early favorite for the Breeders’ Cup Sprint, and he also owns a Win and You’re In berth for the Dirt Mile. He is under consideration for both races, trainer Steve Asmussen said Tuesday.

Mitole earned the Dirt Mile berth for his victory in the Metropolitan Handicap in June at Belmont. He will be making his first start at Santa Anita.

“He went to Santa Anita on Monday, had his first gallop over the racetrack” Tuesday, Asmussen said.