Arlington Hcp, Stars & Stripes Possible for War Dancer

Diamond M Stable’s War Dancer has long been a project for trainer Kenny McPeek. A son of dynamite young stallion War Front out of graded stakes-placed mare Deed I Do, the dark bay showed promise from day one for his connections and has progressed steadily throughout his career. Now, approaching the fifth race of his 4-year-old season, he is fresh off a hard-fought victory in the Grade III Louisville Handicap on May 24 and has taken aim on Million Preview Day at Arlington International Racecourse July 12. Which race, though, is still up for deliberation, according to McPeek.

“Right now there’s no firm decision on whether he’s going to the (Grade III $200,000 Arlington) Handicap or the (Grade III $150,000) Stars and Stripes,” McPeek reported. “It might depend on field size or where we think he fits best. There are a lot of factors.  Someone told me a long time ago that you shouldn’t make a decision until you absolutely have to.” One of those factors may presumably be the assigned weight under the handicap conditions of the Arlington Handicap.

Entries are drawn for the card, which features four graded stakes worth a total of $750,000, Wednesday. All four races serve as key preps for fixtures on the Arlington Million Day card on Aug. 16. The Arlington Handicap is at the 1¼-miles course and distance of the Grade I $1,000,000 Arlington Million, while the marathon Stars and Stripes serves as a 1½-miles prep for the 1 11/16-miles Listed $400,000 American St. Leger. All of the Million Day graded stakes and their respective preps are on Arlington’s world-renowned turf course.

“(War Dancer) likes a mile and a half as much as a mile and a quarter.  He won the Virginia Derby last year at a mile and a quarter and has proven he’s a special horse in a lot of ways,” McPeek said. “He’s well bred and has won graded stakes as a 3- and 4-year-old. The only frustrating thing with him is that we haven’t won with him on the dirt yet - especially being by War Front.”

In his last two races, War Dancer has made a positive impression in marathon events. In the Grade II Elkhorn at Keeneland on April 25, he made what looked to be a decisively winning bid at the top of the stretch, only to be caught in the closing strides by Unitarian. Subsequently, in the aforementioned Louisville Handicap, he defeated the Stars and Stripes-bound duo of Suntracer and Moro Tap in a thrilling renewal of that event. Both races were at the 1½ miles.

“He’s a rock-solid horse and does everything right,” McPeek concluded. “For the most part, he’s very easy to handle - a very talented individual.”