War of Will Works at Keeneland Toward Kentucky Derby

Gary Barber's War of Will breezed five furlongs in 1:00 1/5 over a muddy (sealed) surface at Keeneland April 19 when the track opened at 5:30 a.m. In company with maiden winner Battle of Memphis, War of Will clocked splits of :24 2/5 and :48 3/5 and galloped out six furlongs in 1:13 35.

The five-furlong breeze was the fastest of nine at the distance.

"He trained beautifully all week, and he definitely has progressed from his last breeze," said David Carroll, assistant to trainer Mark Casse. "All indications were that he would go exceptionally good today, and we saw that. We couldn't be any happier. All systems are go at the moment."

With 60 qualifying points, War of Will has a guaranteed place in the starting gate for the May 4 Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) at Churchill Downs.

At Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots this year, War of Will won the Risen Star Stakes Presented by Lamarque Ford (G2) and Lecomte Stakes (G3). On March 23, he was ninth in the Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby (G2) after losing his footing at the start. He arrived at Keeneland four days later.

At Keeneland April 13, War of Will breezed five furlongs from the gate in :59 to be the fastest of 44 at the distance.

"Each day he seems to be getting better," Carroll said. "He cooled out beautifully this morning. (Track superintendent Javier Barajas) put a good seal on the track, and it had a really good bottom on it today. He does a tremendous job on the track."

Carroll said no decision has been made about when War of Will would ship to Churchill. 

Three Chimneys Farm and Fern Circle Stables' Restless Rider, runner-up in the April 6 Central Bank Ashland Stakes (G1) at Keeneland, is scheduled to van to Churchill Friday to continue training for an expected run in the May 3 Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1), according to Patrick Gilligan, assistant to trainer Kenny McPeek.

Also scheduled to ship to Louisville Friday is stablemate Signalman, third-place finisher in the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (G2). Owned by the partnership of Tommie Lewis, Steve Crabtree, Dean Demaree, David Bernsen, Jim Chambers, and Magdalena Racing, Signalman needs two defections by horses that have already secured a starting spot for the $3 million Kentucky Derby to make it into the Run for the Roses.

At Santa Anita Park, Kaleem Shah's Bellafina, who is trained by Simon Callaghan and sits atop the Kentucky Oaks leaderboard with 132 points, worked a bullet four furlongs over a fast track in :48 flat in what was her first timed work since her victory in the April 6 Santa Anita Oaks (G1). The time was the fastest of 47 at the distance Friday. The daughter of Quality Road seeks her fourth consecutive win and fourth grade 1 victory.

On the East Coast, Shadwell Stable homebred Haikal posted a bullet four-furlong work at Belmont Park for trainer Kiaran McLaughlin in :47.59 over a fast track. The Gotham Stakes (G3) winner was the fastest of 48. After finishing third in the Wood Memorial Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets (G2), Haikal sits in 10th on the Derby leaderboard with 70 points.

"We called an audible because a lot of rain is coming (Friday night), and things are closed on Easter. I didn't want him tearing the barn down, so we worked him today," McLaughlin said. "We'll probably work back next week. We were only scheduled to work once, but we changed our mind. He worked very well this morning."