Breeders' Cup Turf: War Like Goddess looks to add to recent female success
The recent history of the Breeders’ Cup Turf bodes well for the 5-year-old mare War Like Goddess.
War Like Goddess scored an emphatic 2 3/4-length win in the Grade 1 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic against males at the Belmont at the Big A meeting on Oct. 8 to move to the fore of domestic hopefuls for the BC Turf at 1 1/2 miles on Nov. 5 at Keeneland.
Trained by Bill Mott for George Krikorian, War Like Goddess has won seven stakes in her 12-race career. The $500,000 Hirsch Turf Classic was her debut against males.
Females have done well in the $4 million BC Turf in recent years. The Irish-trained Tarnawa won in 2020 at Keeneland. Found prevailed as a 3-year-old filly in 2015, while Enable won as a 4-year-old filly in 2018.
While Tarnawa was 11th of 14 in the 2021 BC Turf at Del Mar, the 3-year-old filly Teona was third in that field. In 2020, Tarnawa finished a length in front of 2-1 favorite Magical, a 5-year-old mare also trained in Ireland.
A European filly or mare could be among the surprise pre-entrants for the BC Turf when the list is announced Oct. 26.
The European team for the BC Turf will be better known after Saturday’s Group 1 Champion Stakes at 1 1/4 miles at Ascot Racecourse in England. While Baaeed will be a massive favorite to remain undefeated in his 11th and final start, the Champion Stakes could be a prep race for the BC Turf for Adayar, owned by Godolphin Racing and trained by Charlie Appleby.
Godolphin and Appleby already have a leading contender for the BC Turf in the German Group 1 winner Rebel’s Romance, a 4-year-old gelding.
Adayar, who won the English Derby and King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes in consecutive starts in 2021, has started once this year, winning an allowance race at 1 1/4 miles at Doncaster Racecourse on Sept. 8.
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Even though there is a three-week gap between the Champion Stakes and BC Turf this year, European trainers have had the same runner in both races on occasion in recent years.
Found was second in the 2015 Champion Stakes before winning the BC Turf two weeks later. In 2020, Magical and Lord North were third and last of 10 in the Champion Stakes and raced in the BC Turf two weeks later.
Aidan O’Brien, who trained Found and Magical, has Broome as a contender for the BC Turf. John Gosden, who trained Lord North, has Mishriff as a leading candidate this year.
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