War Like Goddess Faces Tough Field in New York Stakes

George Krikorian's War Like Goddess  will take on grade 1 company for the fifth time in her impressive career when she heads to Belmont Park June 9 for the $600,000 New York Stakes (G1T) going 1 1/4 miles over the turf.

Conditioned by Hall of Famer Bill Mott, the 6-year-old daughter of English Channel arrives from a victory last out at Keeneland where she took the Bewitch Stakes (G3T) for the third year in a row. Running in graded company for all but two of her races, the mare has finished off the board only once in 14 starts.

The New York will be her first trip around the Elmont oval having raced mainly between Keeneland, Saratoga Race Course, and Gulfstream Park over the past two years. She will also be making her first trip around 10 furlongs with all of her previous victories coming at 11 or 12.

"I think being more forward helps her in that she's not stuck in behind a slow pace and buried. Especially on firm ground," Mott said in reference to the mare's win last out where she sat close to the early pace and then took over with authority.

Up against the eight-time graded stakes winner is a quartet of runners from trainer Chad Brown's shed row: Shantisara , Marketsegmentation , Virginia Joy , and McKulick .

Of the four, Marketsegmentation is the only one running off of a win last out. The lightly raced 4-year-old American Pharoah   filly took the Beaugay Stakes (G3T) May 5 at Belmont where she won by 2 1/2 lengths. She was also victorious in her start prior in the April 1 Sand Spring Stakes at Gulfstream Park. The New York will be her first attempt in grade 1 company and her third in graded company.

"She was a late addition," Brown said. "She has improved each run and I really don't think the distance will be a problem for her. She looks like a pace factor, too."

Grade 1 winner Shantisara was fourth last out in the Modesty Stakes (G3T) at Churchill Downs but was victorious March 11 in the Hillsborough Stakes (G2T) at Tampa Bay Downs. Virginia Joy is running back from a second in the May 5 Sheepshead Bay Stakes (G2T), while McKulick was fifth in the Modesty and has not visited the winner's circle since September of last year.

"Both Virginia Joy and Shantisara are training well," Brown said. "Shantisara hated Churchill Downs' turf, according to (jockey Flavien) Prat, while Virginia Joy had a challenging trip last out. ... (McKulick) didn't care for Churchill's turf course at all and had trained really well at Payson all winter on much different ground. Draw a line through that run."

Undefeated since arriving in the States last year, Ignacio Correas trainee Didia  has won her last seven starts including the Modesty. She is also a dual group 1 winner in Argentina for Merriebelle Stable.

Other entrants include trainer Charlie Appleby's tough competitor With The Moonlight  who has three wins in graded/group stakes company under her belt including her most recent triumph in the Feb. 24 Balanchine (G2) at Meydan Racecourse. She was sixth last out in a trip to England for the May 7 Howden Dahlia Stakes (G2).

Rounding out the field is Brendan Walsh trainee Flirting Bridge  whose last two starts include an allowance win at Keeneland April 12, and a runner-up finish in the E. P. Taylor Stakes (G1T) at Woodbine last October.