With the scratch of 8-5 favorite Supa Speed (Justify) at the gate, it was a 10-1 longshot who took advantage of the delay as Will Then (f, 2, War of Will–Remember Then, by Pulpit) exploded down the middle of the course to take the GIII Jimmy Durante Stakes at Del Mar.
Will Then was last seen Oct. 26 breaking her maiden up north at Woodbine on their turf course but before that did not find the Kentucky Downs course to her liking, finishing 10th on debut Aug. 31.
In no rush after the jump, Will Then set up shop in 10th as the pacesetters stepped out through :22.69 and a :46.98 half mile. Five wide and gaining steam through the turn, she was called on for her best as she slingshot into upper stretch. Rolling on the grandstand side and closing the distance between herself and the leaders with every stride, Will Then inhaled her inside foes to win stylishly. 'TDN Rising Star' Casalu (Caracaro) was second while Resolve (Midnight Lute) came on to claim third.
Will Then is War of Will (by War Front)'s first black-type winner.
“I loved that trip,” said winning trainer Jonathan Thomas. “I actually loved the fact that she got shuffled back. Just for educational reasons I thought this was great.”
“Once the pace kicked on, it looked like there was a lot of contested situations in front of us. We just looped and reined out of the back and got a clear run. She's really figuring this course out quickly.”
Winning rider Vincent Cheminaud added, “I was very confident. I was influenced three years ago; I rode a lot for Augustin Stables. It is very important for me, they gave me their trust, their belief in me and I was very happy to win for them today. And you know, Jonathan is such a good trainer, and we have a very good relationship. The last time she won easy, but today she needed to improve. She is very nice, you know. I want to see her in the next year.”
Well then, WILL THEN ($23.00)
The War of Will filly (@claibornefarm) ran off with the $100,000 Jimmy Durante Stakes (G3) at @DelMarRacing. @VCheminaud was up for trainer @ThomasStables.
Time for Late Pick 4 tickets: https://t.co/qATfXrCexd pic.twitter.com/H49uPUlaKS
— FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) November 30, 2024
Pedigree Notes:
A half-sister to Selima Stakes winner Born Dapper (Union Rags), Will Then is her dam's most recent to the races. Remember Then has assembled an interesting broodmare record, as aside from one foal, all of her offspring have been fillies. From five born, all of them are winners and two have earned black type. The mare is herself a full-sister to SW & MGSP Senada, who went on to produce GSP Layla Noor (Midnight Lute). That daughter has since become a winner producer in Japan (all fillies).
Beneath that multiple graded winning dam, there is also GISP Arthur's Tale (Bernardini) and SP War Hoot (War Chant). Another of Remember Then's full-sisters produced SW & MGSP Gingham (Quality Road) and that one's full-brother Blackadder.
Remember Then has produced one foal since Will Then, a filly by Quality Road, and was barren on a trip to Union Rags for 2025.
Saturday, Del Mar
JIMMY DURANTE S.-GIII, $103,000, Del Mar, 11-30, 2yo, f, 1mT, 1:36.46, fm.
1–WILL THEN, 120, f, 2, by War of Will
1st Dam: Remember Then, by Pulpit
2nd Dam: Owsley, by Harlan
3rd Dam: Insipid, by Sham
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. O-Augustin Stables; B-George Strawbridge (KY); T-Jonathan Thomas; J-Vincent Cheminaud. $60,000. Lifetime Record: 3-2-0-0, $92,571. *1/2 to Born Dapper (Union Rags), SW, $141,218. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Casalu, 120, f, 2, Caracaro–Key d'Oro, by Medaglia d'Oro. ($775,000 2yo '24 OBSAPR). 'TDN Rising Star'. O-Michael E. Pegram, Karl Watson and Paul Weitman; B-LLP Performance Horses, LLC (KY); T-Bob Baffert. $20,000.
3–Resolve, 120, f, 2, Midnight Lute–Custody, by Broken Vow. 1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($125,000 Ylg '23 FTSAUG; $250,000 2yo '24 OBSMAR). O-California Racing Partners, Ciaglia Racing LLC and Kevin F. O'Donnell; B-Bloom Racing LLC (KY); T-Leonard Powell. $12,000.
Margins: 2 1/4, 3/4, NK. Odds: 10.50, 8.10, 4.50.
Also Ran: Sea Runner, Ce La Vi Charli, Slick (Ire), Dandy Vandy (Fr), Schilflied, Tigerish, Lee's Baby Girl, Acquitted. Scratched: Origami (Ire), Supa Speed.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
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