Racing Dudes Three Stars of the Week: War of Will Gets His Day in the Sun

The madness of the Triple Crown continued last Saturday at Pimlico. The Preakness Stakes (G1) gave us plenty to talk about over the next three weeks as we lead up to the Belmont Stakes (G1). As an added bonus, Pimlico featured plenty of other horses to watch for down the road as well over two great days of racing. Let’s take a look at the three biggest stars from the weekend:

1. War of Will

The plot thickens! Two weeks after interference cost him a shot at winning the Kentucky Derby (G1), War of Will responded strongly in the Preakness Stakes (G1), winning by 1 1/4 lengths ahead of the fast-closing Everfast and Owendale. Once again, the son of War Front broke from the rail and jockey Tyler Gaffalione kept him in a nice stalking position along the inside part of the track. Turning for home, the rail opened up, and War of Will took advantage by shooting through the opening and taking the lead. Down the stretch, he had plenty left in the tank to finish out the race and lock down victory. He’ll head to Belmont Park now, where he could become the top horse in the division with a victory.

2. Catholic Boy

The most versatile horse in racing returned to the track last Saturday in the Dixie Stakes (G2). That horse is Catholic Boy, who easily came away with the victory in return by a measured 1/2-length. After stalking the pace up the backside, Catholic Boy took the lead in the stretch, passing the stubborn pacesetter Real News. Without much urging, he was still able to hold off a late charge from both Admission Office and Just Howard. Next, he will move back to the dirt for the Suburban Handicap (G2) at Belmont Park. The Whitney Stakes (G1) at Saratoga seems like his major summer goal.

3. Covfefe

The race of the weekend came on Friday from a sprinting filly who has been a little overshadowed by the bigger races that happened at Pimlico on Saturday. The Brad Cox-trained Covfefe was sent out as the favorite in the Miss Preakness Stakes (G1), and for good reason, as she made every pole a winning one in wire to wire fashion. She stopped the clock for 6 furlongs at 1:07.70, a new track record. The filly dominated her competition by over 8 lengths while under a hand ride, showing that she will be quite a handful in the sprints during the summer months of racing.