By Mike Kane
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. –Though he was en route to Toronto Thursday, Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse said he had a clear view of She's Got Will's (War of Will) one-length victory in the sixth race at Saratoga Race Course.
Casse watched the 1 1/16th miles $100,000 maiden special weight race for 2-year-old fillies on his iPad on the Queen Elizabeth Way in southern Ontario about 30 miles from Niagara Falls. He was headed from Saratoga to Woodbine Racetrack for Saturday's $1-million King's Plate Stakes, where he will saddle Essex Serpent (Honor Code), Midnight Mascot (Army Mule) and My Boy Prince (Cairo Prince).
On the Saratoga simulcast Casse saw She's Got Will come from a couple lengths off the pace under Dylan Davis in the stretch to collar Never Really Know (Ire) (No Nay Never) and win by one length. She's Got Will reached the wire in 1:44.69 and paid $24 as the 11-1 sixth choice in the field of 10 on the inner turf course.
“I think, this is the third War of Will (War Front) that we've had win going long around two turns,” Casse said. “They seem to be a really nice bunch. Her race today was very professional. I was impressed. Had a nice trip. The War of Will winners that we've trained just love the two turns.
Casse trained War of Will, the first-crop sire at Claiborne Farm, who won the 2019 GI Preakness Stakes and the 2020 GI Maker's Mark Mile Stakes. Gary Barber owns the filly bred by Nicholas Lotz, who sold for $160,000 at the 2023 Keeneland September Sale.
She's Got Will broke alertly from the fifth post position and settled into a stalking role along the inside. Never Really Know, co-owned by Casse's brother Justin and trained by his son Norman, led the way through fractions contested by Chelsey's Choice (American Pharoah) of :23.85, :48.79 and 1:13.60 over a surface rated as firm following a downpour. When Davis asked her and tipped her out, She's Got Will accelerated in the stretch, took the lead just inside the 16th pole and was home free.
“It's funny, they don't have very good gate speed, normally,” Casse said. “She had a better gate speed today, simply because it was a route of ground, but they kind of have to catch up early.”
She's Got Will continued Casse's strong run at Saratoga, delivering his 11 victory this season. She was his fifth winner in 2-year-old open maiden races at the Spa.
“I'm really proud of her,” he said. “We brought her to Saratoga because we thought she had a lot of potential, and she proved us right today. That was nice.”
Casse's other starter in the race, Wonderland (Medaglia d'Oro) rallied under Jose Ortiz and finished fourth, a head behind Dr. Glick (Constitution)
“She was a victim of the post position. She was outside (#10),” Casse said. “She broke just OK, and then Jose elected to take her back and let her learn something and come with a run. Jose rides a lot of horses for us and he knows that I like our young horses to learn to run by horses. I thought both horses performed very well, and I'm excited for Wonderland, as well.”
6th-Saratoga, $100,000, Msw, 8-15, 2yo, f, 1 1/16mT, 1:44.69, fm, 1 length.
SHE'S GOT WILL (f, 2, War of Will–Ruffenuff {MSW, $208,314}, by Dialed In), given an 11-1 chance for this debut, settled in a hedge-hugging stalking position as Never Really Know (Ire) (No Nay Never) showed the way through a :23.85 quarter followed by a half in :48.79. Moved off the inside and asked for more straightening for home, the filly drove up between rivals in the stretch, caught the pacesetter late and forged clear to score by a length. She's Got Will is the sixth winner for her Freshman sire (by War Front). Sales history: $160,000 Ylg '23 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $55,000. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
O-Gary Barber; B-Nicholas M. Lotz (KY); T-Mark E. Casse.
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
