War Like Goddess coming off dull run for Glens Falls three-peat attempt
?q=100)
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – When War Like Goddess ran sixth in the Grade 1 New York Stakes at Belmont Park in June, it was her first out-of-the-money finish in more than two years and just the second of her 15-race career.
Was it an anomaly? Or has War Like Goddess, midway through her 6-year-old year and having competed at the highest level for most of it, lost a step?
“You wonder, have they called it a day?” trainer Bill Mott said. “If they do it twice in a row, then you’re really screwed.”
The New York was run at 1 1/4 miles and War Like Goddess has proven to be most effective at 1 3/8 miles and, especially, 1 1/2 miles.
Thursday, War Like Goddess will be back at 1 1/2 miles – a distance at which she is 6 for 7 – when she seeks a third consecutive victory in the Grade 2, $250,000 Glens Falls Stakes at Saratoga. Her previous victories in the Glens Falls are part of a résumé that includes eight graded stakes win, two Grade 1s.
Mott felt War Like Goddess was compromised by pace in the New York, a race in which she was beaten 2 3/4 lengths by front-running Marketsegmentation, However, more often than not, War Like Goddess has overcome pedestrian paces to win.
:: DRF's 2023 Saratoga headquarters: Previews, past performances, picks, recaps, news, and more.
Mott has been happy with the way War Like Goddess has trained since the New York. She was quite sharp finishing a half-mile breeze over the Oklahoma training track last Saturday, when she got her final quarter in 23.75 seconds of a half-mile breeze in 48.34.
On paper, the Glens Falls looks like it could have pace.
Elegant Taste, a recent claim for $10,000 who has never before raced on turf, looks like she’ll be in front. Trainer Lawrence Smith believes the pedigree of Elegant Taste – her second dam is the graded turf stakes winner Dance Away Capote – suggests long on turf is what Elegant Taste wants to do.
Vergara, a forward factor when she won the Dueling Grounds Oaks last fall at Kentucky Downs is another pace factor.
Vergara, trained by Graham Motion, is coming off a third-place finish in the Grade 3 Eatontown Stakes at Monmouth Park on June 17. That race was at 1 1/16 miles. Motion said the distance was too short for her.
“This is what she needs to do,” Motion said. “It’s a competitive spot to test the waters, but she’ll be doing this [going long] from here on out.”
Motion also sends out Sopran Basilea, who in two starts in this country has finished second to Whitebeam in the Grade 3 Gallorette at Pimlico before winning the Grade 3 Robert G. Dick Memorial at Delaware Park at the Glens Falls distance.
“The form of the Gallorette is pretty good,” said Motion, noting that Whitebeam came back to win the Grade 1 Diana. “She ran a super race in the Robert Dick with a really good ride. She’s not overly impressive in the morning, but she gets the job done.”
Manny Franco rides Sopran Basilea from post 5. John Velazquez rides Vergara from post 7.
Trainer Chad Brown sends out the uncoupled pair of Virginia Joy and McKulick. Virginia Joy upset War Like Goddess in last year’s Grade 2 Flower Bowl when she was able to get away with a slow pace on the lead. She has not seen the lead since and comes out of a fifth in the New York.
“She’s getting on a course that we know she likes. She had success here last year. Looks like there’s not a lot of speed in this race, she’s probably going to be very forward,” Brown said. “See if she can circle back in form.”
McKulick has yet to try 1 1/2 miles, but Brown believes the way she won last year’s Jockey Club Oaks going 1 3/8 miles at Aqueduct is an indication that the distance is within reach.
“She did that well and she’s a year older too,” Brown said. “And if the turf continues its trend to having some give in it she’ll love that.”
Amazing Grace won the Grade 3 Orchid in her U.S. debut in April at Gulfstream Park. She has since finished fourth in both the Grade 2 Sheepshead Bay and Grade 2 Belmont Gold Cup, the latter going two miles against males.
:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.