War of Will to Run in Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile

War of Will, campaigned on turf in three starts this year, will change surfaces to run in the Big Ass Fans Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1) Nov. 7 at Keeneland, trainer Mark Casse said.

Last year at 3 the War Front  colt was one of the best of his generation on dirt, capturing the Preakness Stakes (G1) and the Lecomte Stakes (G3) and Risen Star Stakes Presented by Lamarque Ford (G2) earlier in the year. He tailed off over the second half of 2020, wrapping up his season with a ninth-place finish in the Longines Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) at Santa Anita Park.

This year he is 1-for-3. He ran sixth in the Shoemaker Mile (G1T) at Santa Anita May 25 in his first start of the season before he returned to win the Maker's Mark Mile Stakes (G1T) July 10 at Keeneland. Then last out on Sept. 19, he ran third as the favorite in the Ricoh Woodbine Mile (G1T).

"It would be nice—he's already a grade 1 winner on the turf this year—to win another grade 1 on the dirt," Casse said. "This will probably be his last start I would say before he retires to stud."

War of Will, an earner of more than $1.8 million, will stand at Claiborne Farm in 2021. Claiborne purchased an interest in him this summer from owner Gary Barber.

Casse said he was disappointed with the colt's performance in the Woodbine Mile when he stalked the pace and loomed at the head of the stretch before he was outfinished. He was beaten 1 3/4 lengths by Starship Jubilee, the 2019 Canadian Horse of the Year.

"I've come to the conclusion that he is not really crazy about the Woodbine turf course," Casse said.

War of Will started twice previously on turf at Woodbine, both at age 2, running third in a maiden race in August 2018 and second a month later in the Summer Stakes (G1T).

Casse also hopes to run a half dozen others in the Breeders' Cup Nov. 6-7. They include Woodbine Mile runner-up March to the Arch in the FanDuel Breeders' Cup Mile Presented by PDJF (G1T), Dirty Dangle in the Juvenile Turf Sprint (G2T), Gretzky the Great and Dolder Grand in the Juvenile Turf (G1T), Spanish Loveaffair in the Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1T), and Got Stormy in the Turf Sprint (G1T).

Spanish Loveaffair's and Got Stormy's participation is pending how they perform and exit races at Keeneland this week. Spanish Loveaffair is a 7-2 morning-line shot in the JPMorgan Chase Jessamine Stakes (G2T) Oct 7 and Got Stormy looms a prohibitive favorite a couple of days later in the Buffalo Trace Franklin County Stakes (G3T) at the Lexington oval.