By Joe Bianca
Gary Barber's War of Will (War Front) will attempt to complete a feat only accomplished by two horses in the past 25 years–sweeping Fair Grounds's trio of GI Kentucky Derby preps–when he goes postward as the favorite in Saturday's $1-million GII Louisiana Derby at the New Orleans oval. Already a convincing winner of the track's GIII Lecomte S. and GII Risen Star S., the imposing bay will try to follow in the footsteps of International Star (Fusaichi Pegasus) in 2015 and Friesan Fire (A.P. Indy) in 2009 in his final dress rehearsal for the first Saturday in May.
Third on debut over the Woodbine turf last August, War of Will's lack of diploma didn't dissuade trainer Mark Casse from trying him in top company after that, and the colt fared well. Second, beaten less than a length at 10-1, in the GI Summer S., he was then fourth, also beaten under a length, in the GIII Bourbon S. and fifth in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf. Dropped back into maiden company to earn cap and gown in his dirt debut Nov. 24 at Churchill, the €250,000 Arqana May buy has made the main track his new home, scoring powerfully by four lengths in the Lecomte and overcoming a wide draw in a 2 1/4-length annexing of the Risen Star. That effort, though two points lower than the Lecomte on the Beyer scale, was elevated by the fact that the next four horses under the wire all came from well out of it, while War of Will chased a strong pace from second. He tuned up for this assignment with a sharp half-mile breeze in :47 3/5 (3/31) here Mar. 15.
War of Will's superiority in Fair Grounds's first two preps hasn't deterred his competition from those races from taking another shot at him. The second, third, fourth, fifth and seventh runners from the Risen Star re-oppose, led by runner-up and 'TDN Rising Star' Country House (Lookin At Lucky). Ninth in his career bow over the Belmont turf, the chestnut was second at 49-1 Dec. 1 at Aqueduct and ran an eye-popping race to break his maiden Jan. 17 at Gulfstream, overcoming a disastrous start and showing a devastating turn of foot to win going away. Thrust into the deep end in the Risen Star, he once again broke awkwardly and showed greenness, but rallied from 12th to be a clear second.
A duo of new shooters rate upset glances. Wertheimer et Frere's Spinoff (Hard Spun) graduated as the favorite last summer at Gulfstream and followed up with a good third in the GII Saratoga Special S. Laid up for over six months, the homebred out of GISW Zaftig (Gone West) returned with a dazzling 11 3/4-length romp in a Tampa allowance Feb. 22. He returned to trainer Todd Pletcher's Palm Beach Downs base afterward and most recently drilled five furlongs in 1:00 2/5 (1/4) Mar. 16.
Silverton Hill's steadily-improving Sueno (Atreides) looks for his breakthrough score after a pair of good seconds. Graduating for an $80,000 tag last August at Del Mar, the $61,000 Keeneland September buy captured the Gold Rush S. off the bench Dec. 1 at Golden Gate and was runner-up at 18-1 in the GIII Sham S. Jan. 5 at Santa Anita. The dark bay then completed the exacta in the GIII Southwest S. Feb. 18 at Oaklawn, a result that was flattered by third-place finisher Long Range Toddy (Take Charge Indy) returning to upset the first division of the GII Rebel S. last Saturday in Hot Springs.
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