Consistent War Like Goddess Heads Large Bewitch Field
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Photo: Coglianese Photos
War Like Goddess earns a narrow victory in the Orchid Stakes at Gulfstream Park
After rallying to a narrow victory in the Orchid Stakes (G3T), War Like Goddess will look for a second straight graded stakes win when she starts in the $150,000 Bewitch Stakes (G3T) April 23 at Keeneland.
The 1 1/2-mile turf test for older fillies and mares has drawn a field of 12 and is the featured race on closing day of the 15-date spring meeting at the Lexington track.
In a field where consistency is lacking, lightly raced War Like Goddess is a notable exception. The 4-year-old daughter of English Channel has won three of four starts. Most recently she rallied from eighth early to edge favored Always Shopping by a nose in the Orchid, a 1 3/8-mile turf test for fillies and mares March 27 at Gulfstream.
Video: Orchid S. (G3T)
Trainer Bill Mott will ask George Krikorian's War Like Goddess to stretch out another furlong to her longest distance yet in the Bewitch. Julien Leparoux, who has guided the filly to all three of her victories, will ride.
Mott also has entered fourth-place Orchid finisher Delta's Kingdom . Campaigned by Maram, the 5-year-old daughter of Animal Kingdom is looking for her first stakes victory but she's been close—placing in three stakes since September. She'll pick up the services of Luis Saez, who has all but locked up the meet's leading rider title with 27 victories; 11 ahead of the next closest rider going into this week's action.
Mott has won the Bewitch three times but is looking for his first victory in the turf distance test since Miss Lenora in 1993. In the 1980s, he sent out Gaily Gaily and Heatherten to victories.
The connections of Dalika wouldn't mind seeing their 5-year-old Pastorius mare continue her recent racing pattern of winning every other contest as she enters off a ninth-place finish in the Tom Benson Memorial Stakes March 20 at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots. Before that effort, Dalika nailed down a victory in the Albert M. Stall Memorial Stakes at Fair Grounds, a special win for her trainer Al Stall Jr.
That victory continued the every-other-race victory pattern dating back to the One Dreamer Stakes in September at Kentucky Downs and including the Blushing K. D. Stakes at Fair Grounds.
Brad Cox, the meet's leading trainer by earnings going into the final week of racing, has entered Don Alberto Stable's Dominga in the Bewitch. The 4-year-old daughter of Ghostzapper came up a neck short in her previous effort, finishing second in the Tom Benson Memorial Stakes. Last year Dominga won the Allen Black Cat LaCombe Memorial Stakes at Fair Grounds.
Keeneland, Friday, April 23, 2021, Race 9Entries: Bewitch S. (G3T)
PP
Horse
Jockey
Wgt
Trainer
M/L
1
1Cambeliza (KY)
Hector Rafael Diaz, Jr.
120
Arnaud Delacour
20/1
2
2Delta's Kingdom (KY)
Luis Saez
118
William I. Mott
4/1
3
3Three Flamingos (KY)
Brian Joseph Hernandez, Jr.
120
Cherie DeVaux
12/1
4
4Dominga (KY)
Florent Geroux
118
Brad H. Cox
5/1
5
5Pass the Plate (KY)
Rafael Bejarano
118
Paul J. McGee
15/1
6
6Kalifornia Queen (GER)
Tyler Gaffalione
118
Chad C. Brown
4/1
7
7Dalika (GER)
Miguel Mena
118
Albert M. Stall, Jr.
5/1
8
8War Like Goddess (KY)
Julien R. Leparoux
120
William I. Mott
7/2
9
9Gun Society (ON)
Adam Beschizza
118
Roger L. Attfield
20/1
10
10Margaret's Joy (KY)
Joseph Talamo
118
Michelle Nihei
20/1
11
11English Affair (KY)
Corey J. Lanerie
118
George R. Arnold, II
20/1
12
12Court Return (ON)
John R. Velazquez
118
Josie Carroll
20/1
