War of Will enthusiastic on first morning at Pimlico

BALTIMORE — Preakness Week unofficially began Tuesday, as the first contender for the middle jewel of the Triple Crown placed his hooves on the Pimlico main track.

The stakes barns behind the Pimlico grandstand were still almost entirely empty, but a lone 3-year-old colt emerged at about 8:30 a.m. (EDT).

Trainer Mark Casse has three horses at the Baltimore track for the week of racing, but only one needed to get some energy out–War of Will.

After an early morning arrival from Kentucky, the son of War Front began his preparations with a few trips walking the stakes barn shedrow, peeking out at the gaps whenever possible to get a good look at his home for the week. He then walked to the track for a single counterclockwise jogging lap with a pony around the wet, sealed Pimlico main track. Casse’s other horses–Allaire DuPont Distaff (G3) entrant Gio Game and Pimlico Special (G3) entrant Flameaway–just walked during their first day in Maryland.

“For him it was better…to get out a little bit,” said Casse assistant and exercise rider Kim Carroll, who was aboard for War of Will’s jog and doled out some tender pats from the saddle as he cooled out circling the barn after.

A gallop over the track will likely come Wednesday for War of Will, and he would have obliged to that request Tuesday if Carroll had asked.

“He was great. He was excited to go out there,” Carroll said. “He was walking right along to get to the track, then he got on, and he’s all business. He’s all class, and he knows what his job is–and loves what he does.

“The only thing he didn’t like was that I didn’t gallop him,” she added with a laugh.

As for War of Will’s condition, following the incident that led to Maximum Security’s disqualification in the Kentucky Derby (G1), Carroll said the colt has kept his weight and bounced back from the very minor superficial injuries he sustained during the race.

“He had a couple superficial things, between the track surface and what happened, but other than that he’s great,” Carroll said, referencing the on-track incident where War of Will nearly clipped heels with Maximum Security in the final turn of the Derby.

Along with his physical condition, Carroll indicated War of Will’s mental state is also positive, which may be just as important.

“His mind is in the right place, and tomorrow he’ll be excited to get back to do a little gallop,” she said.