It was another debut winner trained by Mark Casse for WAR OF WILL on Saturday when Walking In Memphis led home an exacta for the stallion and his former trainer in a Gulfstream Park Maiden Special Weight.
Making his first career start going 1 1/16 miles on the turf, Walking In Memphis broke well and quickly stuck his head in front after the break. Making his way to the rail, Walking In Memphis led the way by a little over a length around the first turn and down the backstretch.
Ridden confidently by Emisael Jaramillo, Walking In Memphis showed his inexperience in the stretch but was able to keep his focus enough to win by a neck over a late closing No More War.
Owned by West Point Thoroughbreds and James Politano, Walking In Memphis was bred by Highfield Investment Group of out the winning More Than Ready mare Harmony Victory. That mare is out of a half-sister to Grade 1 winner Hard Spun and to the stakes winning granddam of champion Improbable.
This is the first foal out of Harmony Victory, whose own dam produced four winners from five to race and was the dam of a Grade 3 fourth place finisher.
This is the 19th winner of the year for WAR OF WILL, whose first crop includes six stakes performers.