War of Will sharp in five-furlong gate work

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Tyler Gaffalione was smiling as he and War of Will walked back to the barn. If horses could smile, War of Will might have matched his rider.

"He had running on his mind today," Gaffalione said after Kentucky Derby candidate War of Will worked a sharp five furlongs from the gate in 59 seconds flat on Saturday morning at Keeneland. "He came back happy. He's real proud of himself."

This was War of Will's second work at Keeneland since his mishap in the Louisiana Derby on March 23, when he appeared to lose action in his hind end shortly after breaking from the starting gate and never got into contention while finishing ninth as the favorite. The Lecomte and Risen Star winner was reported to be off back at the barn but was much improved the next day and was cleared to resume training after precautionary diagnostics, with trainer Mark Casse theorizing that the colt caught his patella at the start.

War of Will got back on the work tab April 6, breezing a half-mile in 48.80, and Casse and assistant trainer David Carroll devised something more strenuous for this weekend in order to move the colt forward from a fitness perspective.

"The thought process behind it was, the Louisiana Derby, whatever happened, happened, so we didn't really get much out of that race," said Carroll, who oversaw the breeze. "Sometimes from the gate, horses get more from a gate work."

War of Will, who broke eagerly, posted an opening quarter of 22.80 seconds and a half in 46.20 seconds en route to his five-furlong clocking. He galloped out six furlongs in 1:11.60.

"Mark said he wanted a good five-eighths and to get a good gallop-out," Gaffalione said. "So, I just let him cruise along."

Carroll, who oversaw War of Will over the winter at Fair Grounds and now handles Casse's Keeneland string, echoed Gaffalione's comments about the colt's attitude.

"He's always been a nice horse to be around, kind of a kind horse to be around, but every now and then, the colt side comes out in him," Carroll said. "We've noticed the last week, he's been a bit more on his toes, a bit sharper; you have to watch yourself around him. They're great signs. He's telling us he's happy, and coming into this work, he was telling us he was ready to work, and have a good work. He was wanting to do something today, and the work itself went beautifully."

War of Will will likely have another work next weekend at Keeneland before having his final pre-Derby move at Churchill Downs.