By Alan Carasso
Those who swallowed the 1-5 on the comebacking War Like Goddess (English Channel) in Friday's closing-day GIII Bewtich S. at Keeneland were made to sweat it out, but the gaps finally came with time ticking away and the George Krikorian colorbearer proved best following a trip that can best be described as adventurous.
With Joel Rosario somewhat controversially taking over at the controls from Julien Leparoux aboard the 2021 Eclipse Award finalist, War Like Goddess settled in third position in a scratched-down field of just five turf marathoners, but the pace more resembled that of a Standardbred race, causing War Like Goddess to race extremely keenly, tugging for her head while behind the walking tempo passing the grandstand for the first time.
Continuing inside and still traveling freely past halfway in a near-farcical 1:19.88, War Like Goddess settled slightly better for the run into the final turn, but nevertheless was shuffled back and locked away in desperate need of daylight as they turned for home. It looked for a stride or two like she might not get out in time, but she muscled her way through with about a furlong to race and was home first.
“I was concerned about how much pace there would or would not be in the race, and there wasn't any,” said winning trainer Bill Mott. “Actually, I'm not so sure I've been in a race on firm turf that was any slower than this, so it was quite a challenge for [jockey Joel Rosario] to keep her in behind those horses and wait until they turned for home. I think Joel did well with the way it didn't set up for us, and the filly was good enough to win.”
Winning is something War Like Goddess has become accustomed to, as she was batting .750 entering Friday's title defense. Winner of the GIII Orchid S. prior to annexing this event last season, she added soft wins in the GII Glens Falls S. and GI Flower Bowl Invitational S. at Saratoga last summer and was the 23-10 pick in the GI Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf. Allowed to settle for the opening mile, she went for a wide, if a touch premature run, about three furlongs from home and could not quite hold on late, finishing third to Japan's Loves Only You (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), who secured the Eclipse in the process.
Pedigree Notes:
Calumet Farm acquired Misty North for $30,000 in foal to Cape Blanco (Ire) at the 2014 Keeneland November Sale and it took just $1,200 for them to part with War Like Goddess at the 2017 November Sale. Bought back for the upset price of $1,000 at Keeneland September the following fall, she showed enough to fetch $30,000 at OBS June in 2019. Calumet sold Misty North for $1,000 at KEENOV in 2019 and the mare produced a colt from the second crop of Bal a Bali (Brz) in 2020, her last listed produce.
Friday, Keeneland
BEWITCH S.-GIII, $298,500, Keeneland, 4-29, 4yo/up, f/m, 1 1/2mT, 2:31.26, fm.
1–WAR LIKE GODDESS, 118, m, 5, by English Channel
1st Dam: Misty North, by North Light (Ire)
2nd Dam: Misty Gallop, by Victory Gallop
3rd Dam: Romanette, by Alleged
($1,200 Wlg '17 KEENOV; $1,000 RNA Ylg '18 KEESEP; $30,000
2yo '19 OBSOPN). O-George Krikorian; B-Calumet Farm (KY);
T-William I. Mott; J-Joel Rosario. $186,000. Lifetime Record:
GISW, 9-7-0-1, $1,079,684. Werk Nick Rating: F.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Family Way, 120, m, 5, Uncle Mo–Susie's Baby, by Giant's
Causeway. ($775,000 Ylg '18 KEESEP; €150,000 3yo '20
ARQDEC). O-Hunter Valley Farm, Debra L O'Connor, and Marc
Detampel; B-Diamond Creek Farm (KY); T-Brendan P. Walsh.
$60,000.
3–Core Values, 118, f, 4, Honor Code–Sweet Awakening, by
Street Cry (Ire). 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($230,000 Ylg '19
KEESEP). O-BBN Racing, LLC; B-John Bates, Ron Kirk & Michael
Riordan (KY); T-Victoria H. Oliver. $30,000.
Margins: 1 3/4, 1, 1 1/4. Odds: 0.20, 3.50, 24.70.
Also Ran: Breeze Rider, La Lune (GB). Scratched: Luck Money, Stand Tall.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.
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