Undefeated Win the War Ships West for Santa Ynez

Trainer Mark Casse runs a lot of horses—more than 1,300 in each of the last two years—so it takes quite a performance on the racetrack to make him pause.

He was put in that position Nov. 19 during the Glorious Song Stakes at Woodbine.

"I would say, four or five times a year, I sit there with my mouth open going, 'whoa,'" the trainer said of Win the War's 11 1/4-length victory over 1-5 favorite Grace and Dignity on the synthetic main track at Woodbine. "That was definitely one of those."

SHEA: Win the War Dominates Glorious Song Stakes

A 3-year-old daughter of War Front  owned by Gary Barber and John Oxley, Win the War came into the seven-furlong Glorious Song off a debut win (by a neck) sprinting on the Woodbine turf Oct. 22, but will ship west and try dirt for the first time in the $200,000 Santa Ynez Stakes (G2) Jan. 7 at Santa Anita Park.

Win the War has been training on the dirt at Casse Training Center in Ocala, Fla., and even though her breeding may not suggest dirt, her connections want to find out how she handles the surface early in her 3-year-old season.

"She is by War Front and I understand that, but we talked about it and we want to give it a try," Casse said. "She trains well over the dirt and we wouldn't bring her over there if she struggled with it, but you never know until you run them. Every now and then you run into a horse who is so talented it doesn't matter."

But Win the War isn't the only undefeated filly in the field. There are two others—and another who is two noses away from being undefeated herself—including the Barber-owned War Heroine.

War Heroine, a daughter of Lonhro (AUS) trained by Peter Miller, sped to a 6 3/4-length victory in her debut Nov. 12, and after being involved in the fire at San Luis Rey Training Center, has gotten back on track training at Del Mar, where she broke her maiden.

"Gary's telling me that we better be ready," Casse said.

Also in the speedy, undefeated category for the seven-furlong Santa Ynez is Hronis Racing's Artistic Diva, who won the Anoakia Stakes by 2 1/4 lengths last time out Oct. 22 after she broke her maiden sprinting on the Del Mar turf in August. Trainer John Sadler said Jan. 4 that he hasn't decided whether to run the daughter of Munnings  in the Santa Ynez or wait for the Jan. 20 Dixie Belle Stakes at Oaklawn Park.

BALAN: Artistic Diva Speeds to Victory in Anoakia Stakes

Through the eyes of her connections, Allen Racing and Jeff Bloom's Midnight Bisou might as well be in the undefeated category as well, at least in the sense of the talent she's shown in two starts. On paper the Midnight Lute  filly is a maiden, but she's finished a nose behind Dream Tree in both of her starts. Dream Tree went on to win her last start, the Dec. 9 Starlet Stakes (G1), by 3 1/4 lengths under a hand ride by jockey Drayden Van Dyke.

"Essentially we're inches away from being an undefeated horse, so it's not like we're taking a huge stab," Bloom said. "We're literally a head bob away from being Dream Tree, and so much of that was validated by (the Starlet). It definitely flattered us. I mean, Drayden didn't even think about taking the whip out."

Bloom and trainer Bill Spawr were particularly encouraged by Midnight Bisou's last start in the Nov. 18 Desi Arnaz at Del Mar, when she lacked room and lost some position for a moment in the backstretch, but was still able to rally to just miss at the wire.

"She got in trouble in both races and probably should have won them," Spawr said. "If you watch those races—if she gets one more jump, she's got them."

BALAN: Dream Tree Holds Off Midnight Bisou in Desi Arnaz

Also in the field is second-place Starlet finisher Yesterday's News, last-out Golden Gate Debutante Stakes winner Steph Being Steph, last-out maiden winner Allianna, and stakes-placed runners Just a Smidge and Streetwithnoname.

Entries: Santa Ynez S. (G2)

Santa Anita Park, Sunday, January 07, 2018, Race 8

• Grade II
• 7f
• Dirt
• $200,000
• 3 yo Fillies
• 4:10 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Artistic Diva (IL)	Victor Espinoza	120	John W. Sadler	6/1
2	2Steph Being Steph (KY)	Stewart Elliott	120	Brian J. Koriner	15/1
3	3Streetwithnoname (KY)	Joseph Talamo	120	Eoin G. Harty	20/1
4	4Allianna (KY)	Kent J. Desormeaux	120	Peter Miller	6/1
5	5War Heroine (KY)	Flavien Prat	120	Peter Miller	4/1
6	6Yesterday's News (KY)	Mario Gutierrez	120	Simon Callaghan	8/1
7	7Win the War (KY)	Tyler Gaffalione	120	Mark E. Casse	5/2
8	8Midnight Bisou (KY)	Mike E. Smith	120	William Spawr	3/1
9	9Just a Smidge (KY)	Drayden Van Dyke	120	Bob Baffert	15/1