War Like Goddess Makes Some History at Keeneland

As a filly War Like Goddess  RNA'd at $1,000 at the 2018 Keeneland September yearling sale. On April 28 the now 6-year-old mare delivered some racing history on the Keeneland turf.

The race belongs to #4 WAR LIKE GODDESS!

She wins the $300,000 Bewitch Stakes (G3) for the third straight year. #2 Temple City Terror tried to pass but couldn't manage, as the Bill Mott trainee scores under @JRosarioJockey. pic.twitter.com/bIvCJloCCw

— TVG (@TVG) April 28, 2023

In posting a 1 1/2-length victory in the $297,500 Bewitch Stakes (G3T) Friday, War Like Goddess became just the third horse in the history of the Lexington track to win the same stakes three years in a row, and the first to do so since Knight Counter won a third straight Ben Ali Handicap (G3) in 1974.

Owner George Krikorian speculated that down the road a race could be named after the daughter of English Channel after she held sway over a determined Temple City Terror  through the Keeneland stretch.

"It's very, very special what she did today," Krikorian said. "She's really showed us that she's a special horse. We're proud of her."

In Friday's 1 1/2-mile test for fillies and mares, the featured race on closing day of Keeneland's spring meet, War Like Goddess tracked in third as Personal Best  enjoyed a two-length lead through a half-mile in :52.39 and six furlongs in 1:18.74 on the good turf. As jockey Joel Rosario asked for a bit more as War Like Goddess approached the final turn, Jose Ortiz moved up Temple City Terror to her outside. 

War Like Goddess displayed a little burst to claim the lead and avoid being caught between Temple City Terror and Personal Best. Angled out several paths entering the stretch, War Like Goddess then held off hard-trying Temple City Terror to complete the race in 2:32.11.

The winning favorite returned $3 to win, $2.32 to place, and $2.10 to show. She was followed home by two-time grade 3 winner Temple City Terror and grade 3 winner Personal Best.

"There's just not that many horses like that so it's really special when you have an opportunity to have a horse like that," Krikorian said.

Besides Knight Counter, Royal Harmony won the Fayette Handicap on the main track three years in a row ending in 1971. War Like Goddess is the first horse to win three consecutive editions of a stakes on the turf at Keeneland.

"She's a very special horse," said winning trainer Bill Mott. "She's just one of those horses that shows up every time. She's never run a bad race. She's been beaten a couple of times last year but once was in the Breeders' Cup Turf (G1T) against the boys and she ran a very credible race. And, the other time she was just stuck behind a slow pace.

"She had running room today and took off when Joel asked her."

The 2021 season for War Like Goddess ended with a third-place finish in the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf (G1T) at Del Mar and last year's concluded when she finished third in the Breeders' Cup Turf at Keeneland.