BY BROCK SHERIDAN
Florida-bred War of Destiny has yet to make his first start but has instilled enough confidence in trainer Mark Casse to be supplemented into Sunday’s CA$125,000 Display at Woodbine Racetrack for his career debut.
Casse and owner Gary Barber paid the supplemental CA$2,500 fee at time of entry to make War of Destiny eligible for the seven-furlong contest where he is set to debut against four other 2-year-olds going seven furlongs on the all-weather main track.
War of Destiny is from the first crop by War of Will, who won the 2019 Preakness (Grade 1) and 2020 Maker’s Mark Mile (G1) at Keeneland for Casse and Barber. Bred in Florida by Wind Will Farm, War of Destiny is out of the winning Curlin mare Lin Marie and is a half-brother to multiple graded stakes-placed Dream Marie, who in 2020 was second in both the Delaware Oaks (G3) and Rampart (G3) and third in the Davona Dale (G2). From three starters, Lin Marie has also produced winner Home Port.
War of Destiny has three solid works over the Woodbine synthetic including a four-furlong breeze in :47.20 on Sept. 25, which was the fastest of 22 at the distance that morning. More recently, he worked five furlongs in 1:00.60 on Oct. 2, the third fastest of 11 drills at the distance that morning.
Casse, who has won the Display six times including with Florida-bred Precise End in 1999, has given the mount on War of Destiny to Sahin Civaci. They have post three and are 9-2 on the morning line.
On the other end of the experience spectrum is Cairo Caper with four starts to his credit, most among the Display entrants.
Trained by Nathan Squires for William B. Thompson Jr., Cairo Caper returns to the Woodbine synthetic after going two-for-three on the local turf, including winning the $152,000 bet365 Soaring Free at six-and-a-half furlongs on Aug. 23 and a July 4 maiden special weight going six furlongs. Last out, Cairo Caper was fifth in the Grade 1 bet365 Summer won by New Century going a mile on Sept. 14.
In his only start on the all-weather course, Cairo Caper was third in a five-furlong maiden special weight won by Your Valentino in May.
Cairo Caper is by Cairo Prince out of Summer Clothes, by Summer Front and has earned $110,701 from two wins in four starts with a third.
He is the 2-1 morning line favorite and Jose Campos will ride from post four.
Also entered are He’s Not Joking, who will be ridden by Kazushi Kimura, Thundering and jockey Eswan Flores, Mansetti with rider Leo Salles and Rafael Hernandez rides Bucaro.
