Kentucky Derby 2019 Daily: Gaffalione sports ‘a mind of steel’

Welcome to Horse Racing Nation’s Kentucky Derby Daily, which will each day leading up to the May 4 race at Churchill Downs detail all the news and notes related to contenders in one convenient space.

Jockey Tyler Gaffalione recalls plenty from his first Kentucky Derby, in 2017 and aboard the one-eyed Patch, but mostly he remembers how fast it all happened — riders up, a playing of My Old Kentucky Home, the race itself.

Given another chance, Gaffalione said he’ll try to slow his thoughts. Enjoy the moment. And, potentially, find a way to calm his nerves.

The 24-year-old holds the mount on War of Will, the Louisiana Derby (G2) headliner who pending Saturday’s results could vie for 2019 Kentucky Derby favoritism. Trainer Mark Casse acknowledged this week that bigger-name riders will become available, but that he won’t be seeking their assistance the first Saturday in May

“He may be young,” Casse said of Gaffalione, “but he’s got a mind of steel and I am not worried one iota that he will give us a great effort, and he has the utmost confidence in the horse as well.”

Entering Thursday, Gaffalione ranked third at Gulfstream Park’s Championship Meet in wins behind only Irad Ortiz Jr. and Luis Saez. Half his mounts finished in the money, and the $3.1 million earned by those horses doesn’t include War of Will’s stakes wins.

It’s fair to say Gaffalione hasn’t had the type of opportunities presented to those ahead of him, either. But that can change quickly given the Derby’s platform — and this horse’s talent.

“He’s a monster,” Gaffalione said of War of Will. “He’s so powerful, yet so smart. Every time I get on him, he seems bigger and stronger.”

This pairing of jockey and horse coincided with the beginning of War of Will’s winning streak. Together, they broke son of War Front’s maiden Nov. 24 in his dirt debut at Churchill Downs, then opened the new year with victories in Fair Grounds’ Lecomte (G3) and Risen Star (G2).

“They’re like peanut butter and jelly,” Casse said.

As Gaffalione puts it, War of Will “has so much confidence that it gives you confidence.”

The Gary Barber-owned runner will break from post No. 6 in the 1 1/8-mile Louisiana Derby. Already, the colt is locked into the Kentucky Derby field on points. Now it’s all about how he’ll handle added distance and a few new rivals.

Last time, Gaffalione hustled War of Will from an outside post in the Feb. 16 Risen Star, using a bit more horse than he’d like to avoid an extra-wide trip. The colt still finished 2 1/4 lengths the best.

“After I passed the wire,” Gaffalione said, “I patted him on the should just like, ‘Good job,’ and took off again. I even asked the pony to pull me up because he was so strong.”

War of Will isn’t the only horse Gaffalione, who won the 2015 Eclipse Award as top apprentice jockey, is looking forward to riding this spring. He picked up the mount on Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3) winner Somelikeithotbrown, with the colt going to the Blue Grass Stakes (G2) next.

Beyond Gulfstream’s meet, Gaffalione plans to ride at Keeneland, then Churchill Downs and give Saratoga a full-time try for the first time. For now, he’s not looking past the Kentucky Derby.

“Every year, this is what we look forward to — these kind of horses and these races,” Gaffalione said. “We’ve still got one more test to get through.”

Derby links

• For more on War of Will’s journey from a Breeders’ Cup also-ran to potential Kentucky Derby favorite, check out today’s feature.

• HRN’s Laurie Ross and Ashley Tamulonis went head to head handicapping the Louisiana Derby.

• Sueno, a top rival of War of Will, is showing the “typical signs” of a Derby horse, says trainer Keith Desormeaux.

• Stay tuned to NBC Sports Network after Saturday’s race for the first in a series of “Road to the Kentucky Derby” documentaries.

• Market King, who set the pace before giving way in the second division of the Rebel Stakes, will go on to another Derby prep. D. Wayne Lukas is pondering which one.

In case you missed it…

Wednesday’s Derby Daily report quotes the connections of Alwaysmining, a multiple stakes-winning Maryland-bred who could hit the trail.