Sacred Wish seeks elusive graded win in Goldikova Stakes

DEL MAR, Calif. – A minor stakes winner in 2023, Sacred Wish nearly won a graded stakes this summer when she was beaten a neck in the Grade 3 Matchmaker Stakes at Monmouth Park.

An elusive win at that level may occur in Saturday’s Grade 3 Goldikova Stakes for fillies and mares at a mile on turf at Del Mar.

But it will not be easy.

The $300,000 race drew a solid field 11 and is part of the undercard of the Breeders’ Cup program.

Trained by George Weaver, Sacred Wish has won once this year, in an allowance race at Aqueduct in May. After the narrow loss at Monmouth, Sacred Wish finished second by three lengths in the Grade 3 Ladies Turf Stakes at a mile on Aug. 31 at Kentucky Downs.

“She’s been very good all year,” Weaver said. “She deserves a graded stakes, and we hope it will be on Saturday.”

Sacred Wish has raced at distances ranging from a mile to 1 1/8 miles on turf this year. Weaver said a one-mile race “is perfect” for Sacred Wish.

Sacred Wish will need a perfect race to beat such runners as Aspen Grove, Fluffy Socks, and Mouffy from American stables, and intriguing international runners in Kathmandu and Raqiya.

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Fluffy Socks, booked to be sold in Kentucky on Monday, was second by a head in the Grade 1 Matriarch Stakes at Del Mar last December in her most recent start in California. Earlier this year, she won the Grade 3 Gallorette Stakes by 7 3/4 lengths at Pimlico for trainer Chad Brown.

She will need a fortunate trip from off the pace.

“That is her style,” Brown said. “That’s where she’ll end up.”

Mouffy also is a closer, a style that worked in the Grade 2 Dance Smartly Stakes on Oct. 5 at Woodbine.

“The trip is going to be super important,” trainer Jonathan Thomas said.

Mouffy was added to the field in late October when a berth became available on a flight from Kentucky to California, Thomas said.

The well-traveled Mouffy has not worked since the Dance Smartly Stakes, which Thomas said is not a concern.

“She seems like she’s moving great,” he said. “I think we’ll be okay. She’s not unfit.”

Aspen Grove, winner of the Grade 1 Belmont Oaks in 2023, was second in the Grade 2 Rodeo Drive Stakes at 1 1/4 miles on turf on Oct. 5 at Santa Anita. Aspen Grove was within a head of the lead at the eighth pole and lost by 1 1/2 lengths to Hang the Moon, who starts in Saturday’s BC Filly and Mare Turf.

Trainer Jack Sisterson said this week that the Goldikova Stakes can show whether Aspen Grove prefers a mile.

The mile will work for Kathmandu, who was second at 45-1 in the Group 1 French 1000 Guineas at the distance at Longchamp Racecourse in May. More recently, Raqiya and Kathmandu were first and fifth in the Group 3 Oak Tree Stakes at seven furlongs at Goodwood Racecourse in England in July.

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