War Like Goddess Up to Her Old Tricks in Dick Memorial
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Photo: Chad B. Harmon
War Like Goddess wins the Robert G. Dick Memorial Stakes at Delaware Park
In trying to find an ideal spot for a well-accomplished runner such as War Like Goddess , trainer Bil Mott knows there aren't any easy dates on the race calendar. But he circled the July 7 $250,000 Robert G. Dick Memorial (G3T) as a potential launching point for some bigger opportunities later in the summer.
But first, the 7-year-old daughter of the late English Channel would have to win.
As she has done often in her career, the mare spent most of the 1 3/8-miles test lingering near the back, waiting for the perfect moment to display her knack for late-race heroics.
After being less than willing to load into the gate, it may have looked like War Like Goddess would be content with an off day at Delaware Park.
With Alpha Bella and Chop Chop running 1-2 for the first mile, War Like Goddess was sitting fifth in the field of six sometimes finding herself nearly seven lengths back.
The quarter pole seemingly served as a marker for jockey Junior Alvarado who felt that perfect moment was at hand. He swung out four-wide at the final turn. While Vergara split Chop Chop and the rail-riding Alpha Bella, War Like Goddess ($4) passed her foes from the outside and had enough to fend off Chop Chop for a one-length win in 2:16.60.
"She was very good today. ... I let her get comfortable," Alvarado said. "When we turned for home, I just put her to the outside and let her do the rest,"
Mott said the end goal for this season would be the Breeders' Cup World Championships Nov. 2 at Del Mar.
"Maybe later on in the year we'll try to get a grade 1 or run in another grade 1 at the Breeders' Cup; the (Filly and Mare Turf) runs at the same distance as they ran today, which she is fond of the 11- and 12-furlong races. We just have to spot around the country to find those," Mott said.
Sunday is the third time Mott has prevailed in this race having previously won in 2012 with Starformer and 2010 with Treat Gently (GB).
Owned by George Krikorian and bred by Calumet Farm, War Like Goddess improves to 12-2-3 from 20 starts and $2,775,184 in earnings.
The Robert G. Dick Memorial was just the second start of the year for the mare, who finished third to Didia in the New York Stakes (G1T). War Like Goddess has run 18 consecutive graded stakes and has missed the board just three times.
Chop Chop, Vergara, Atomic Blonde , La Mehana , and Alpha Bella completed the order of finish. There were three scratches: Lullaby Land , Pretty Provocative , and Freydis the Red .