War of Will wows in final serious move for Jim Dandy

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Even 2 1/2 hours after he got off of War of Will on Friday morning, it was hard to wipe the smile from the face of jockey Tyler Gaffalione.

Shortly after 5:30 a.m., Gaffalione guided War of Will, the Preakness winner, through a half-mile workout in 49.32 seconds over the Saratoga main track. War of Will proceeded to gallop out five furlongs in 1:02.12 and six furlongs in 1:15.53, per Daily Racing Form clocker Mike Welsch, in preparation for next Saturday’s Grade 2, $600,000 Jim Dandy.

“Every time you think this is as good as he’s going to get, he just improves off of that,” Gaffalione said. “He’s just incredible.”

This was the second week in a row that Gaffalione worked War of Will, the only horse to have run in all three Triple Crown races this year. Gaffalione seems amazed at how well the horse has come out of the three-race series.

“He’s just so full of energy and he really wants to do it right now,” Gaffalione said. “He’s so confident in himself, the way he’s getting over the ground especially over this track. I’m really looking forward to the race. He obviously loved Churchill, and he loved Fair Grounds, but the two works I’ve had with him over here were unbelievable.”

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Trainer Mark Casse moved the work from Saturday to Friday to avoid the heat and the prospect of a crowded track Saturday morning, when training hours were scheduled to be 5 to 9:30 a.m.

“I don’t know what else he could do,” Casse said. “He’s ready.”

Entries for the Jim Dandy will be taken on Wednesday. Those expected to enter include Tacitus, Tax, Global Campaign, and Laughing Fox.

Mihos, fourth to Code of Honor in the Dwyer, worked five furlongs in 1:00.03 over the main track Friday morning. Going in company with the unraced colt Some Sounds, Mihos went his last quarter in 23.97 seconds and galloped out six furlongs in 1:13.59. He is also eligible to next Friday’s Curlin Stakes, but trainer Jimmy Jerkens sounded as if he wanted to run in the Jim Dandy.

“I’d rather take a shot in the Jim Dandy,” Jerkens said. “I thought he was good.”