War of Will likely to complete Crown triple with Belmont Stakes run

BALTIMORE – War of Will, who won the Preakness Stakes on Saturday, is poised to be the only horse this year to compete in all three Triple Crown races, with trainer Mark Casse saying on Sunday morning here at Pimlico that the Belmont Stakes on June 8 would be the next target barring any unforeseen setbacks.

“There are only three Triple Crown races,” Casse said. “They’re pretty important. I think if you can do it you should do it. That’s us. That’s what we do. We run.

“I’d say there’s an extremely good shot we’ll be there.”

Only four of the 19 horses who raced in the 1 1/4-mile Kentucky Derby two weeks ago returned for the 1 3/16-mile Preakness, and it looks like only War of Will will go on to the 1 1/2-mile Belmont. It’s yet another testament to his athleticism and hardiness, Exhibit A being how he managed to avoid catastrophe in the Derby when becoming entangled with Maximum Security on the far turn. He finished eighth and then was promoted to seventh after Maximum Security was disqualified from the victory.

“He is an athlete,” Casse said. “I’m not sure everybody would have survived that, the bumping and the contact. He’s very athletic.”

War of Will is now a three-time stakes winner this year, with the Preakness following earlier victories in the Lecomte and Risen Star at Fair Grounds. With Maximum Security expected to bypass the Belmont, War of Will would be able to cement his position as the divisional leader among 3-year-old males if he could add a second Triple Crown race victory to his résumé.

War of Will received a Beyer Speed Figure of 99 for the Preakness.

Everfast, the longshot who closed strongly for second in the Preakness, and third-place Owendale also are expected to be considered for the $1.5 million Belmont. Several horses who ran in the Derby and bypassed the Preakness – including Game Winner, Master Fencer, Spinoff, Tacitus, and Tax – also are in the mix for the Belmont, along with Intrepid Heart and Sir Winston.

Trainer Bob Baffert on Monday said he was "on the fence" about running Game Winner in the Belmont.

Casse, per usual for him after a big-race win, had a restless night Saturday, excited by winning his first Triple Crown race, but even more gratified that War of Will – owned by Gary Barber – had a chance to run to the best of his ability following an unsatisfying Derby.

“It’s been a roller-coaster last couple of weeks,” Casse said. “I’m happy for the horse. I’m happy for Gary Barber.”

Casse said he had received “400 texts and emails” following the Preakness, including “a very nice email from Gary West” – who owns Maximum Security with his wife, Mary – congratulating Casse’s team and Barber. The Wests also own Game Winner.

War of Will got a dream trip on Saturday, sitting fourth behind a sharp, contested pace, but he also ran the best of those closest to that pace, with Everfast and Owendale rallying from 11th and ninth in the 13-horse field.

“The pace was extremely hot,” Casse said, referring to an opening half-mile in 46.16 seconds, “and he beat two deep closers. Our horse ran extremely well to stay that close to that pace. It was hot.”

War of Will was scheduled to van back to Kentucky on Monday and go to Keeneland, where assistant David Carroll oversees a string of horses for the Churchill Downs-based Casse. Carroll was the onsite supervisor for War of Will’s daily training all winter at Fair Grounds.

“I think the world of David,” Casse said. “He’s such a great horseman.”

Assuming all goes well, Casse said he envisioned War of Will heading to Belmont Park about 1 1/2 weeks prior to the Belmont.

Owendale also was heading back to Kentucky. He was to fly there on Sunday and go to Churchill Downs, where his trainer, Brad Cox, is based.

Cox said the Belmont would be considered for Owendale, but he wanted to evaluate how the colt came out of the Preakness, and size up the prospective Belmont field.

“It’s a lot to come back in three weeks,” Cox said. “But it’s a big purse, a prestigious race. You only get one chance as a 3-year-old to run in the Belmont.”

Cox also sent out fourth-place finisher Warrior’s Charge, who set the early pace. He said Warrior’s Charge would point to slightly shorter races, and mentioned the Indiana Derby and Iowa Derby as possible targets.

Bourbon War, who finished eighth, “came back in good shape, better days ahead,” trainer Mark Hennig reported on Twitter.

Signalman, who finished ninth, “bled 4 of 5 and will bypass the Belmont and point to Saratoga with Travers the goal,” trainer Kenny McPeek said, also on Twitter.

– additional reporting by David Grening

Potential Belmont Stakes Starters
Horse	Trainer	Jockey	Last Race
Everfast	Dale Romans	undecided	Preakness, 2nd
Game Winner	Bob Baffert	undecided	Ky Derby, 5th
Intrepid Heart	Todd Pletcher	John Velazquez	Peter Pan, 3rd
Master Fencer (JPN)	Katsumi Yoshizawa	Julien Leparoux	Ky Derby, 6th
Owendale	Brad Cox	Florent Geroux	Preakness, 3rd
Sir Winston	Mark Casse	undecided	Peter Pan, 2nd
Spinoff	Todd Pletcher	undecided	Ky. Derby, 18th
Tacitus	Bill Mott	Jose Ortiz	Ky. Derby, 3rd
Tax	Danny Gargan	undecided	Ky. Derby, 14th
War of Will	Mark Casse	Tyler Gaffalione	Preakness, 1st