George Krikorian's War Like Goddess, who was a dominant winner of Saturday's Joe Hirsch Turf Classic (G1) at the Belmont at the Big A fall meet, will now set her sights on another matchup with male rivals in the Breeders' Cup Turf (G1) on November 5 at Keeneland.
A bay daughter of English Channel, War Like Goddess scored the second Grade 1 victory of her career with a smart ride by Jose Lezcano, tracking in third through the first mile and a quarter of the 1 1/2-mile turf marathon before unleashing her bid in the final turn and powering away to a 2 3/4-length score over determined pacesetter Bye Bye Melvin. That rival is under consideration for the Turf, trainer Graham Motion said.
War Like Goddess' win, which earned a career-best 105 Beyer Speed Figure, came on the heels of a troubled second when attempting a title defense in the Flower Bowl (G2) at Saratoga Race Course where she stalked a pedestrian pace set by the victorious Virginia Joy and came up a neck shy after a late run in the stretch.
Mott said it was satisfying to see War Like Goddess work out a clean trip in the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic with Lezcano in the irons for the first time.
“It was good. I was happy to see her get an opportunity to run her race,” said Mott. “I think it helped that there was a little pace in the race and they strung the field out a little bit and that they weren't all jammed up going super slow. There was a legitimate pace horse in there.”
With the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf contested at 1 3/16-miles at Keeneland, War Like Goddess will instead set her sights on added distance against the boys in the $4 million Turf at 1 1/2 miles.
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