Claiborne Farm has purchased an interest in dual-surface grade 1 winner War of Will . The son of Claiborne's emerging sire of sires War Front scored his most recent victory in the July 10 Maker's Mark Mile Stakes (G1T) at Keeneland going a mile on the grass. War of Will will stand at the Paris, Ky., farm upon his retirement from racing, Claiborne announced July 30.
"War of Will has an outstanding pedigree, and combined with his race record, he should be very appealing to breeders. He's a classic winner on dirt at 3 and a grade 1 winner on turf at 4, which places him in rare company," Claiborne's Walker Hancock said. "War Front is one of the most successful sires of his generation, and there is no doubt he is becoming a sire of sires. We believe War of Will has the capability to follow his father's success."
Four-year-old War of Will has earnings of over $1.79 million and four graded stakes wins for trainer Mark Casse and owner Gary Barber.
"I am very proud to be standing War of Will at Claiborne alongside his famous father," Barber said. "War of Will has a special place in my heart having brought so much joy to me and my family. He is a once-in-a-lifetime horse."
In just his second start, War of Will was introduced to grade 1 company, running a determined second in the Summer Stakes (G1T) at Woodbine.
Coming off a maiden victory to end his 2-year-old season, War of Will kicked off his 3-year-old campaign with decisive back-to-back graded stakes victories going over a mile on dirt. With Tyler Gaffalione in the irons, he easily bested subsequent grade 1 winner Hog Creek Hustle and group 2 winner Plus Que Parfait to take the Lecomte Stakes (G3) by open lengths. One month later, eventual Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) winner Country House and multiple graded stakes winners Owendale and Mr. Money proved to be no match for War of Will in the Risen Star Stakes Presented by Lamarque Ford (G2).
Following a contentious Kentucky Derby, War of Will became Casse's first classic winner in the Preakness Stakes (G1).
In this year's Maker's Mark Mile, War of Will moved into the prestigious group of dual-surface grade 1 winners. Going one mile on firm turf, he fended off group 1 winner Without Parole and two-time grade 1 winner Raging Bull .
"I've been fortunate enough in my career to be around a lot of good horses, but I have to put War of Will right there at the top. He has a special place in my heart," Casse said. "He's a class act. There's a reason we call him 'WOW.' It's not just because of his initials. Everything he does is a wow. The way he looks. The way he trains, and his pedigree. I'm excited to see him go to Claiborne and follow in his father's footsteps. Our plan is to point towards the Woodbine Mile (G1T) next, and then hopefully the Breeders' Cup."
Bred in Kentucky by Flaxman Holdings, War of Will is out of the stakes-winning Sadler's Wells mare Visions of Clarity, who is a half sister to multiple group 1 winner and Breeders' Cup Mile (G1T) winner Spinning World. Visions of Clarity also produced group 1 winner Pathfork (Distorted Humor) and multiple stakes winner Tacticus (A.P. Indy).
War of Will is one of War Front's 21 group/grade 1 winners worldwide. A prominent international sire, War Front (Danzig—Starry Dreamer) has 13 million-dollar earners and is emerging as a sire of sires. His sons include group 1 winner Declaration of War, who sired two-time graded stakes winner Silver Prospector and three-time graded stakes winner Decorated Invader; five-time graded stakes winner The Factor , this year's leading fifth-crop sire who has sired multiple grade 1 winners, plus recent grade 2 winner Factor This; Summer Front, a four-time graded stakes winner who sired recent grade 2 winner Speaktomeofsummer and grade 2-winning Kentucky Derby hopeful Ete Indien; and three-time group 1-winning champion Air Force Blue, whose first crop are now 2-year-olds, including recent debut winner Beauty Queen.
War of Will's 2021 stud fee will be announced following the Breeders' Cup World Championships.
