War of Will Progresses Ahead of Pennsylvania Derby

Gary Barber's War of Will breezed a bullet five furlongs in :59 flat under exercise rider Amy Mullen on the Belmont Park main track Sept. 7 in preparation for the Sept. 21 Pennsylvania Derby (G1) at Parx Racing.

"He ended up going a little faster than we anticipated on paper, but the track had a little water in it. I think the track was pretty fast," said Jamie Begg, assistant to trainer Mark Casse. "He did it very easily. He broke off and I was going to tell the rider to pick it up, but he hit the first quarter in :12 and one and it looked slower than that. He picked it up down the lane a bit even though she didn't move on him."

War of Will breezed twice at Saratoga Race Course following his fifth-place finish in the Jim Dandy Stakes (G2), both bullet works, and Begg said the colt will likely ship to Parx on the day of the race.

"He'll have an easy maintenance breeze next weekend. He's doing really well," Begg said. "His work yesterday, he did it easier than he did it at Saratoga. It was supposed to be a stiff breeze, but he seemed to get over the track very easily. We always knew he liked a bit of water in the track and I think that's why the time was so quick."

Begg said Tracy Farmer's multiple graded-stakes winner Perfect Alibi came out of her Spinaway Stakes (G1) score in good order.

"She's come out of each race more and more alert," Begg said. "She was never a great work horse, but she's starting to get better with the more she runs. She's acting more like a racehorse in the mornings, which she always does in the afternoon."

Begg added that Perfect Alibi should improve with added distance, with the Oct. 4 Darley Alcibiades (G1) at 1 1/16-miles at Keeneland a possible target.

"Her pedigree and the way she runs shows that," Begg explained. "She's never all that close to the pace. I think she'll only continue to improve. She could be something special. She's already a very good looking filly."