WILL ‘WAR OF WILL’ BE A RISING STAR – OR A “RISEN STAR?”

By Jennifer Thibodeaux Bourque and Michael – Louis Ingram

BASN NEWSROOM

 

LAFAYETTE, LA and PHILADELPHIA, PA (www.basnnewsroom.com) For a Triple Crown series without a contender, this has been one of the more interesting in recent years…

 

 

The first DQ of a Triple Crown race winner (and subsequent suspension). The no-show of the elevated Kentucky Derby winner at any of the other races (bombed the tote, took the money and ran); a hero jockey, who but for a rescue move at the speed of thought, may have been denied a Triple Crown – and become the third consecutive Noble Beast to pull off the feat in recent memory?

That’s just some of the issues at hand as the scene shifts to New York and Belmont Race Track and the ‘Test of Champions’ – the Belmont Stakes.

Ten hosses will go to post to negotiate a mile and a half of dirt – with a killer backstretch of 1200 feet once you come off the second turn!

Distance always equates to pedigree; which is where my l’il sis Jennifer Thibodeaux Bourque comes in. “You’ve gotta like War of Will’s chances to get this done. He showed no signs of wear and tear – and his jockey (Tyler Gaffalione) did a supreme job of giving his hoss a chance to win each time he mounted up.

Where I believe his competition will come from are all the Tapit horses. They are bred for distance and stamina, especially on the wet; but from all indications, it looks like it will be clear at Belmont tomorrow.”

 

 

The hosses in the Tapit family are the #10 (Tacitus, pictured above) the #8 (Intrepid Heart) and the #5 (Bourbon War; who, if somehow some rain does fall, moves up as Conquistador Cielo is part of his back class).

 

 

All ’bout The Trip

 

The move which compromised War of Will’s momentum may haunt their people in future years, just as in 1988 when Secretariat’s first son, Risen Star, was caught by surprise as everyone in that year’s Kentucky Derby – was smelling Winning Colors’ coochie from start to finish:

 

As they moved into the Preakness, jockey Eddie Delahoussaye (“and that’s ‘de-la-who-SEE’ – I hate when they don’t pronounce his name right,” sez Jenny) makes a slick game move as he slides to the rail by Winning Colors and Forty Niner…

“Eddie D. could ride his ass off,” sez Jenny. “Winning Colors and Risen Star are actually first cousins through Bold Ruler and Nasrullah. Always interesting to see a ‘family affair’ play out on the track.”

 

 

By the time the Belmont rolled around, Secretariat’s baby boy does a ‘House Call’ on the field…looking very much like his daddy in crushing the opposition!

 

 

Meanwhile, back at the jockey, rider Luis Saez, whose horse Maximum Security had to be taken down on the DQ, is back in the saddle aboard Everfast, (#2), who ran well in the Preakness, seeks a payday as well as payback…

Missed opportunities and ‘racing luck’ may be good bar talk for future generations; but there has never been a Triple Crown winner three years in a row!

 

THE PLAY

 

Even though War or Will moves to an outside post, if Gaffalione can get him to a stalking spot between second and fourth, he will be primed to kick in the Hoss Power at the top of the stretch…

We will wheel him with the #3 Master Fencer and, #8 Intrepid Heart for fifty cents and $36; and a trifecta box with #3, #5,  #8, #9 and # 10 for fifty cents and $30…

We top it off with $10 win and place on War of Will to ‘take it to the Baja’ – and win the Belmont Stakes…

So when you see your hoss charging down that lonnngggg Belmont backstretch, don’t forget to scream at the top of your lungs:

 

WORK THAT NOBLE BEAST!!

basneditor@basnnewsroom.com