War Like Goddess (English Channel) typically makes a single stop at Keeneland per year and she does so exclusively to win the GIII Bewitch S. Not only did the 7-year-old mare win last year's edition, she also won the same race in both 2022 and 2021. Making her first start of 2024 off a seventh to Auguste Rodin (Deep Impact {Jpn}) in the GI Longines Breeders' Cup Turf at Santa Anita last November, War Like Goddess began her 2023 campaign in exactly the same way, debuting to a win in Keeneland's closing-day feature to kick off a season that saw her defend her titles against the boys in the GI Joe Hirsch Turf Classic at Aqueduct. Trainer Bill Mott also used this race at a stepping-off point for her 2022 campaign.
Opposing the favorite from the outside is Vergara (Noble Mission {GB}), a 5-year-old who will look to be the speed of the field also making her first start of the year since checking in third in November's GIII Long Island S. But while she's had plenty of experience going the 1 1/2 miles, including a start two races back over the local course, the Graham Motion trainee has yet to find the winner's circle over the distance.
Potentially making things interesting along the rail will be GI Darley Alcibiades S. runner up Chop Chop (City of Light). Unraced on the turf since a narrow third in last year's Allen Black Cat Lacombe Memorial S. at Fair Grounds in March 2023, she does come in off a run of good form over the Tapeta at Turfway, winning two of her last four dating back to December. She also has youth on her side, being one of just two 4-year-olds in the field (the other being Cherie DeVaux's Tower Bridge [Street Sense]).
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