Defending E. P. Taylor Winner Likely Favored for Repeat

Etoile (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}), a narrow winner of the 2020 GI E. P. Taylor S., is the 5-2 morning-line favorite to repeat in Sunday's renewal at Woodbine.

A Group 3 winner in her native land for Jean-Claude Rouget, she brought 750,000gns from Peter Brant, Mrs. M. V. Magnier and Mrs. Paul Shanahan at the 2019 TATDEC sale and was transferred to Chad Brown for a North American campaign.

Second as the favorite in last term's GII Dance Smartly S., she went one better for a career high next out in the E. P. Taylor. She's only made two starts since in 2021, kicking off her 5-year-old campaign with a flat fourth-place effort in Keeneland's GI Coolmore Jenny Wiley S. Apr. 10, then finished a fast-closing second as the favorite to Mutamakina (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) in the Dance Smartly last time Aug. 22.

Brown, one-two in last weekend's GI Joe Hirsch Turf Classic S. at Belmont and GI First Lady S. at Keeneland, will also saddle second-choice Great Island (Scat Daddy) and Kalifornia Queen (Ger) (Lope de Vega {Ire}), who finished first and second, respectively, in Monmouth's GIII WinStar Matchmaker S. July 17. Great Island followed with a second-place finish in Saratoga's GI Flower Bowl S. Sept. 4 while Kalifornia Queen placed third in the GII Ballston Spa S. Aug. 28.

La Dragontea (GB) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) and Court Return (Court Vision), one-two across the line in the GII Canadian S. at Woodbine Sept. 18, re-oppose, while Waliyak (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}) makes the trip across the pond following a victory for Roger Varian in the G3 Prix Bertrand de Tarragon at Chantilly Sept. 17. Varian also secured this contest with Sheikha Reika (Fr) (Shamardal) in 2018.

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War Like Goddess Earns Breeders’ Cup Berth With Flower Bowl Win

In a longtime turf stakes race run at a new distance and a new venue, War Like Goddess got a new title: Grade 1 winner. The daughter of English Channel bided her time behind the front-running La Signare, waited for the final turn to make her move, and sprinted away to victory over Great Island and My Sister Nat in the 1 3/8-mile Flower Bowl at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

Breaking from the third post, War Like Goddess got a clean start, settling in third behind La Signare and Great Island early. On the backstretch, Lovely Lucky took over third, leaving War Like Goddess six lengths behind the front-running La Signare, who set early fractions of :24.71 for the first quarter, :48.83 for the half-mile, and 1:13.66 for six furlongs. Entering the final turn, the lead was down to two lengths as Great Island started to challenge La Signare's lead going into the Saratoga straight. Julien Leparoux angled War Like Goddess out from the hedge on the turn, seeking a clear running lane in the race's final furlongs.

In the stretch, Great Island made the lead as War Like Goddess sprinted down the center of the track, passing Great Island to take the lead and win by two lengths. Great Island held off a surging My Sister Nat to finish second.

The final time for the 1 3/8-mile G1 Flower Bowl was 2:13.07 over a firm turf course.

The Flower Bowl is part of the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series. As a Win and You're In race for the Filly and Mare Turf, the winner earns a feed-paid guaranteed spot in the starting gate for the corresponding race at the Breeders' Cup World Championships at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club in Del Mar, Calif.

Bred in Kentucky by Calumet Farm, War Like Goddess is a 4-year-old filly out of the North Light mare Misty North. Owned by George Krikorian, the filly is trained by Bill Mott. With her win in the Flower Bowl, the filly has four wins in five starts, for a lifetime record of six wins in seven starts. Consigned by Hemingway Racing and Training Stables, War Like Goddess was purchased by H N D Bloodstock for $30,000 at the 2020 Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's June Two-Year-Olds and Horses of Racing Age sale.

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War Like Goddess Riding Three-Race Win Streak Into ‘Win And You’re In’ Flower Bowl

George Krikorian's War Like Goddess brings a three-race win streak into Saturday's Grade 1, $600,000 Flower Bowl, an 11-furlong inner turf test for older fillies and mares, at Saratoga Race Course.

The 44th renewal of the Flower Bowl, which offers a “Win and You're In” berth to the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf in November at Del Mar, is part of a loaded Saturday lineup that features the Grade 1, $1 million Jockey Club Gold Cup, a 10-furlong test for 3-year-olds that is a “Win and You're In” qualifier to the Breeders' Cup Classic. The 12-race card is bolstered by the Grade 2, $250,000 Prioress, a six-furlong sprint for sophomore fillies and the Grade 3, $200,000 Saranac at 1 1/16-miles on the inner turf for sophomores. First post is 12:35 p.m. Eastern.

War Like Goddess has won 5-of-6 starts, utilizing a powerful turn-of-foot to notch graded scores in her last three outings, comprising the 11-furlong Grade 3 Orchid in March at Gulfstream, the 12-furlong Grade 3 Bewitch in April at Keeneland, and the 12-furlong Grade 2 Glens Falls last out on August 7 over the Spa inner turf.

Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott said he is confident War Like Goddess can handle the step up to Grade 1 company.

“It's all a test, right? These are tough horses but the goal is to try and win a Grade 1 with her,” Mott said. “She's done quite well and handled every step so far, so we hope she move another step forward and accomplish this.”

The 4-year-old English Channel bay, bred in Kentucky by Calumet Farm, was purchased for $30,000 at the OBS June 2019 2-Year-Olds and Horses of Racing Age Sale.

Mott said he is proud of the filly's efforts thus far through six starts, banking $383,684 in purse earnings.

“Her performance is good no matter how much they paid for her,” said Mott, who won the Flower Bowl previously with Gaily Gaily [1988], Dahlia's Dreamer [1994], Northern Emerald [1995] and Dynaforce [2008].

Julien Leparoux retains the mount from post 3.

Four-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Chad Brown, represented here by My Sister Nat [post 4, Jose Ortiz] and Great Island [post 6, Joel Rosario], has won the Flower Bowl a record six times, comprised of scores with Stacelita [2011], Stephanie's Kitten [2014-15], Lady Eli [2016], Fourstar Crook [2018] and Sistercharlie [2019].

Owner Peter Brant has won the Flower Bowl a record four times, previously scoring with Just a Game [1980], Scoot [1986], River Memories [1989] and Sistercharlie. He will send out a pair of starters here in My Sister Nat for Brown and American Bridge for trainer Jean-Claude Rouget.

A 6-year-old daughter of Acclamation out of the Galileo mare Starlet's Sister, My Sister Nat is a half-sister to Sistercharlie. Last year, the French-bred bay captured the 12-furlong Grade 3 Waya ahead of runner-up efforts to Civil Union in both the Grade 2 Glens Falls at the Spa and the Grade 1 Flower Bowl, which was contested at 10-furlongs at Belmont.

Through three starts this year, My Sister Nat has finished fourth in the 11-furlong Grade 2 Sheepshead Bay in May, third in the 10-furlong Grade 2 New York in June and second last out in the 12-furlong Grade 2 Glens Falls, 3 1/4-lengths back of War Like Goddess.

Brown said he would appreciate an opportunity to win the Flower Bowl with a sibling of Sistercharlie, who he trained for Brant.

“It would be special to win this race again,” Brown said. “She's a real consistent horse, but she'll have her work cut out for her with War Like Goddess in there. We'll try again and hope for a different result.”

Last year, Ortiz provided My Sister Nat a more prominent trip, sitting less than three lengths off the pace, to win the Waya. Brown said he is hopeful the returning rider can utilize similar tactics Saturday after racing from well off the pace in recent efforts.

“That's her, sometimes she falls out of the race a little bit, so hopefully we can get a little better position,” Brown said.

Alpha Delta Stables' Great Island, a 5-year-old Scat Daddy chestnut, has won two of her last three starts, including scores in the off-the-turf Suwannee River in February at Gulfstream and a last-to-first score last out in the nine-furlong Grade 3 Matchmaker on July 17 over firm Monmouth Park turf.

The lightly-raced Great Island is out of the unraced Rahy mare Voyage, who is a half-sister to multiple Grade 1-winners Point of Entry and Pine Island.

Great Island entered the Matchmaker from a two-month respite off a willing third in the 1 1/16-mile Grade 3 Gallorette on May 15 at Pimlico, a key race that winner Mean Mary exited to win the Grade 2 New York at Belmont and runner-up Vigilantes Way used as a springboard to victory in the Grade 3 Eatontown at Monmouth.

Brown said he was pleased with the half-length score last out in the Matchmaker.

“She ran great and showed a nice, closing kick,” Brown said. “We've always wanted to try her around three turns, so this is a chance to do it.”

Brown said he is hopeful both his entrants will find a way not to lose touch with the field.

“Getting position in these races has been key,” said Brown, who leads all trainers with 34 wins at the Spa summer meet heading into Wednesday's card.

The Brant-owned American Bridge will make her North American debut from a score in the 10-furlong Group 3 Premio Del Giubileo on June 27 at the San Siro for Rouget.

By Kodiac and out of the Dutch Art mare More Than Sotka, American Bridge will exit post 2 under Irad Ortiz, Jr.

Madaket Stables, Tim Cambron, Anna Cambron and Bradley Thoroughbreds' graded-stakes winner La Signare will stretch out in distance following a third-place finish last out in the nine-furlong Grade 1 Diana on July 17 at the Spa.

La Signare has earned black type in three consecutive Grade 1 appearances, starting with a third in the Jenny Wiley in April at Keeneland before running second in the Gamely in May at Santa Anita. The 6-year-old French-bred daughter of Siyouni finished 2 1/2-lengths back of Althiqa last out in the Diana.

Conditioned by Brendan Walsh, the talented bay has trained forwardly out of that effort, including a half-mile breeze in 49.71 on August 28 on the Oklahoma dirt training track.

“She looks unreal. Saratoga does very good for them. She's really blossomed between starts,” said Walsh assistant Thomas Molloy. “She galloped out in 1:01 and 1:15 in her last work. The added distance should help her.”

La Signare will emerge from the inside post under Ricardo Santana, Jr.

Belladonna Racing's Coastana enters from a sharp first-level allowance score traveling 11-furlongs on the Spa turf on August 6.

Trained by Cherie DeVaux, the 4-year-old daughter of Kitten's Joy, out of the Pulpit mare Reachfortheheavens, is a full sister to multiple Grade 1-winner Real Solution.

Purchased for $290,000 at the OBS June 2019 2-Year-Olds and Horses of Racing Age Sale, Coastana will exit post 7 in her stakes debut under leading rider Luis Saez.

Elizabeth Mateo's Lovely Lucky has won 2-of-3 starts on the Saratoga turf, including an allowance score last summer and an optional-claiming win July 22, both traveling 11-furlongs. The 5-year-old Lookin At Lucky mare ran fourth in last year's Glens Falls ahead of an off-the-board effort in the Flower Bowl at Belmont.

Trained by Tom Albertrani, Lovely Lucky will emerge from post 5 under Hall of Famer John Velazquez.

The Flower Bowl is slated as Race 11 on Saturday's 12-race card. Saratoga Live will present daily television coverage of the summer meet on FOX Sports. For the complete Saratoga Live broadcast schedule, and additional programming information, visit https://www.nyra.com/saratoga/racing/tv-schedule.

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Joel Rosario Voted Jockey of The Week After Three Graded Stakes Wins

Joel Rosario's trip to Monmouth Park on Saturday resulted in three graded stakes wins earning him Jockey of the Week honors for July 12 through July 18. The award, which is voted on by a panel of racing experts, is for jockeys who are members of the Jockeys' Guild, the organization which represents more than 950 active riders in the United States as well as retired and permanently disabled jockeys.

Trainer Chad Brown gave a leg up to Rosario on Great Island in the Grade 3 WinStar Matchmaker Stakes for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up on the turf at 1 1/8 miles. Breaking from post position two in the field of six, Great Island settled at the back of the field, moved up on the far turn and finished fast to just catch Kalifornia Queen and prevail by a half-length in 1:48.89.

“She's a nice horse and it makes it easy when you ride that kind of horse,” Rosario said.

Trained by Todd Pletcher, Dr Post was ridden by Rosario for the first time in the Grade 3 Monmouth Cup Stakes for 3-year-olds and up going 1 1/8 miles on the dirt. Off as second choice in the wagering, Dr Post settled off the pace in the field of six, moved up on the backside and rallied six wide into the stretch to pull away for a 1-1/4-length victory in 1:47.53.

“I never rode this horse before, but Todd said he has been a little more focused with the blinkers,” Rosario said. “I think that was the case in the race.”

Riding again for Todd Pletcher, Rosario had the mount on Graceful Princess in the Grade 3 Molly Pitcher Stakes for fillies and mares, 3-years-old and up going 1 1/16 miles on the main track. Off at odds of 14-1 in the field of nine, Graceful Princess came from off the pace and rolled to a three-quarters length victory in 1:47.67.

“It's always nice to ride for Todd, I don't think she has run quite this well before but today she was ready and she won a tough race and proved she was ready for this kind of company,” said Rosario.

With the win, Rosario swept the first three graded stakes on the card.

“I came into today thinking I had some chances but you don't know,” said Rosario. “You have to have the right horses.”

Rosario's weekly stats were: 31-5-4-6 for an in-the-money percentage of 48.3 and total purse earnings of $852,648 to lead all riders.

Other contenders for Jockey of the Week were Manny Franco who won the Grade 1 Diana, Irad Ortiz, Jr. with two Grade 3 stakes, Luis Saez also with two Grade 3 stakes, and Ruben Silvera who posted nine victories from 22 mounts.

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