West Will Power retired following workout injury

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - West Will Power, winner of the Grade 1 Stephen Foster at Churchill Downs, has been retired from racing due to a soft tissue injury, trainer Brad Cox said in a text message Tuesday.

West Will Power had been under consideration for Saturday’s Grade 1, $1 million Whitney Stakes. West Will Power was diagnosed with the injury after he worked five furlongs in 1:02.24 over the Oklahoma training track on Saturday.

In his message, Cox said that West Will Power “suffered a minor soft tissue injury this weekend and given the timeframe of the rehab there is not enough time to make the Breeders’ Cup. Therefore, with what he has already accomplished in his racing career, [owners] Gary and Mary West feel it’s best he be retired to stud.”

West Will Power, a 6-year-old son of Bernardini, compiled a record of 7-7-1 from 17 starts. He earned $1,745,390 for the Wests, who also bred the horse.

West Will Power made the first nine starts of his career for trainer Kelly Breen, winning three races and finishing second to Code of Honor in the Grade 3 Philip Iselin at Monmouth Park in 2021.

:: DRF's 2023 Saratoga headquarters: Previews, past performances, picks, recaps, news, and more.

Under Cox, who received the horse before the 2022 season, West Will Power won four of eight starts, including the Grade 2 Fayette at Keeneland last fall, the Grade 2 New Orleans Classic in March at Fair Grounds, and the Stephen Foster at Churchill on July 1.

He also finished second in last year’s Grade 1 Clark Stakes at Churchill Downs and this year’s Grade 2 Razorback and Grade 2 Alysheba.

West Will Power is out of the Wild Event mare Wild Promises who won 13 of 20 starts, including seven stakes, and earned $699,610.

:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.