War of Will
 

Whats your guys thoughts on War of Will, you cant really go off his LA Derby flop due to him slipping and pulling a muscle but if you project out his fractions from the Risen Star of his final 5/16 and 1/16 32.39 and 6.72 it certainly dont paint a rosy picture. Possible toss?

I'd have to see how his workouts are first.

I guess you could use his competition and some six degrees of Kevin Bacon for reference. He beat Country House in the Risen Star by 2 1/4 who was beat by Omaha and Improbable by 6 3/4 and 5 3/4 respectively. The rest of his defeated foes are destined for allowance and cheap stakes.

His LP in the Risen Star was a lackluster 83. I generally look for a 95+ in a 9F prep for a Derby winner.

Toss.

La Derby was too bad to believe, but War of Will may just be a decent horse who happened to be dead fit and simply faster than the Grade-3 level of competition of the early prep races in his division.

As a cynic, he's an easy toss.

As a fan I like him, and he vaguely reminds me of Barbaro, switches turf-to-dirt and uses his early speed... Nice big handsome guy...

I think he's a toss. I want to see the pace projection and the final field for long-shot considerations, but I'm against him. I'm not going to talk anyone 'off'' of him. Has early speed. I like Barber/Casse. Hot Pink. Probably looks great in his works if any of those videos are up on xbtv.com . :ThmbUp:

There was a reason why War of Will went off at 4/5 in the LA Derby.

The horse stumbles out of the gate and strains a muscle. Easy race to put a line through ....

Horse works a eye popping bullet at Keeneland a few days back to show he is at full health.

He is now projected to go off at around 20-1

War of Will is a easy use for me ....

Nice horse
 

Hope he doesn't run in the KY Derby, though.

Given more time off to recover from this injury, he will win big races in 2019.
Running him back in May might end his career prematurely.

Normally I would agree but from what I read his recent work was really good and he has been a hand full around the barn. Seems like he is fully recovered, so why not take a shot ?

I will get back to you on this during the week of the race.
You could be right.

He's in my top 5. No way am I tossing War of Will. He's a major contender to me. I love his pedigree for this.

Based on just pedigree? What am i missing on this one? Even when he was winning he beat nobody and his times were slow.

I have just always liked this horse from day 1 first time I saw him. Tossed his Loiusiana Derby of course. He's working bullets now. PPs are about the past, horses do make huge improvements and key is finding the horse who is feeling good during derby week. I will have to see his final work at Churchill to see how he's getting over the track.

FWIW, in 2017, Irish War Cry's last BSF before derby was highest in field, took a lot of $$. Ditto Classic Empire. Neither hit the ticket. Hence had the highest BRIS speed ratings and also didn't run ITM. In 2011 Andy Beyer was bemoaning the the slowest derby field in history. Yet as soon as Animal Kingdom stepped out onto the track in the post parade that day, if you were a physicality capper w/a sharp eye, he was so alert and durable looking and it was like the king of the field was standing out there....sometimes you don't see something til the last minute.....that happened to me with AK and also Creator in the AR derby....you have to run to the window to place your wager and wondering why you didn't "see" it before.....

He thrashed Owendale in the RS, who came back and won the lex w a 98 Beyer. Also beat 2 others in the derby field, country house and plus que. Obviously, plus que is a toss, but CH may be usable in the super.

There’s no question he gets 10f and has 2 super solid works since the LD.

At 20/1, he will be on my tix, mostly underneath.

your selling me... might have to include on the tail end of a few

Still very early but I am starting to warm up to Country House. I think the pace of this derby may be to his liking.

Classic Empire lost all chance at the start, courtesy of Maragh's antics on IWC. He probably wasn't winning that one regardless but perhaps could have had a better placing. As it was, he got up for a respectable 4th then ran a solid place in the Preakness.

Brisnet seems to overrate Aqueduct for some reason. Frosted also posted a big number in the Wood but only managed a closing 4th in the Derby, albeit three tough ponies were ahead of him. The best Bris prep figure still hit the super.

As for Hence, I would trust a politician more than transferring a speed figure from Sunland.