War of Will Odds at Kentucky Derby Drop After Louisiana Stumble

War of Will, an emerging favorite for this year’s Kentucky Derby, suffered a set back at Saturday’s Louisiana Derby and finished ninth. Video replays show that War of Will had a bad step on his hind leg just as he was out of the gates at the Fair Grounds, which he failed to recover from. War of Will running Lecomte race The colt’s trainer Mark Casse reportedly said on Sunday that War of Will is looking better. They suspect that he caught his muscle as he was taking off. “I feel fortunate that he’s okay first and foremost. We’re fairly certain that he probably caught his patella a little bit at the start. So, what we’ll do is we’ll do some exercising and probably laser treatment to strengthen the patella muscle. But we feel optimistic that we can still make the Derby,” said Casse.

War of Will Odds Still Favor Him

Thanks to his earlier wins in the Lecomte and Risen Star races, War of Will has enough points to qualify for the Kentucky Derby race. He’ll be shipped later this week to Keeneland in Lexington, Ky., to get ready for the May 4 race. Before the stumble, the colt’s odds were at 100-1 on William Hill’s futures board. But now they’ve dropped to 7-1 after winning three races on the dirt turf. Currently, as of Monday, they’ve climbed to 20-1.

Underdog Rises to the Top

The Louisiana Derby saw an upset win with By My Standards dominating the Fair Grounds dirt turf earning 100 qualifying points. The Bret Calhoun-trained colt didn’t even feature on the futures listings board and will be the trainer’s fist entry in the Kentucky Derby. On Monday, By My Standard’s odds were at 20-1. “He’s ready,” Calhoun said about the colt, “We have to maintain what you’ve got. The Derby is a whole different deal. It’s not just the race, it’s everything that goes into going up there. We’ll do a lot of stuff preparing him for hat. He’s got a great mind, we’re lucky in that sense that he’ll handle everything.” It looks like this year’s Run for the Roses is anyone’s race. Will War of Will, a horse who was a favorite to win, take the Rose blanket or will By My Standards, an underdog in this race, claim the title? Learn more about horse racing and sports betting with CasinoUS.com.
Paul Jacobs

About Paul Jacobs

Paul Jacobs is an American online casino expert and Senior Editor at CasinoUS, where he provides in-depth analysis of US online gambling laws, licensed casinos, betting platforms, and responsible gaming practices. With over a decade of hands-on experience in the online gambling industry, Paul is recognised for his strong understanding of state-by-state US gambling regulations, casino licensing requirements, player protection standards, and compliance frameworks. His work focuses on delivering clear, evidence-based casino reviews and regulatory insights to help American players make informed and responsible decisions. Born in Sydney, Australia, Paul Jacobs is a dual Australian–American citizen, giving him a rare cross-market perspective on both the US and Australian gambling industries. Alongside his work at CasinoUS, he is also a senior editor at AustralianOnlineCasino.io, where he specialises in licensed Australian online casinos, casino bonuses, and Australian gambling regulation analysis. Paul’s combined expertise across the United States and Australia includes online casino licensing and compliance, gambling law interpretation, player safety, responsible gambling, bonus structures, payouts, and fair play standards. He is committed to transparency and cutting through marketing hype to provide trustworthy, expert-driven guidance for players in both markets.