Final Kentucky Derby Work for War Story
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Louisiana Derby (gr. II) third-place finisher War Story put in his final workout for the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) when the 3-year-old gelding breezed five furlongs in 1:02 at Churchill Downs the morning of April 22.
On the track shortly after it opened for works and before a light rain shower hit the Louisville area, War Story was timed in fractions of :12 4/5, :24 3/5, :36 2/5, and :49 for the first half-mile of the work. The son of Northern Afleet , who placed in all three Derby preps at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, galloped out six furlongs in 1:15 3/5 under Dylan Davis. The five-eighths move was the seventh fastest of 20 at the distance for the morning.
"That was a typical work for him," trainer Tom Amoss said. "He definitely knows the difference between practice and a race. To say that he is a lazy work horse is accurate."
Nevertheless, Amoss labeled War Story ready for the May 2 Derby.
"This work was similar to his others except that his extension of stride was nicer this morning," he said. "This will probably be his last work. This is the plan we used before the Risen Star (gr. II, working 10 days before the race) and that worked well."
Amoss said from this point on, War Story will go to the track during the period designated for Derby and Longines Kentucky Oaks (gr. I) horses following the morning track maintenance break.
"I always take my horses to the track (to work) the first thing, before it gets cut up," Amoss said of the decision to not work War Story at the same time as other Derby horses. "That is when the track is at its best."
Owned by Loooch Racing Stables Inc., Glenn K. Ellis, and Christopher Dunn, War Story ran second in the Risen Star and Lecomte (gr. III) prior to that Louisiana Derby third under Joe Talamo, who has the mount in the Kentucky Derby. All three of those races were won by International Star, who tops the Road to the Kentucky Derby points list with 171. War Story ranks 14th among Derby possibles with 44 points.
Bred in Kentucky by Jack Swain III, War Story has two wins, two seconds, and a third in five starts, with earnings of $243,600. War Story won his only start at Churchill Downs last fall.
"He has improved daily and I see an enthusiastic horse," Amoss said. "War Story deserves to be in the Derby... (but) he has got to improve dramatically to win this race."