War Like Goddess should show off her powers in Robert G. Dick

Multiple Grade 1-winning millionaire War Like Goddess heads a competitive edition of the Grade 3, $250,000 Robert G. Dick Memorial Stakes for fillies and mares racing 1 3/8 miles on turf at Delaware Park.

The Robert G. Dick is one of four stakes on the Sunday program.

A 7-year-old mare by English Channel, War Like Goddess has won 11 of 19 starts for earnings of $2,625,184. She beat males in the last two editions of the Grade 1 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic in New York.

War Like Goddess was slated to make her seasonal debut in Keeneland’s Bewitch on April 26, but reportedly suffered a cut on her hind leg that kept her from competing.

Trainer Bill Mott instead opted for Saratoga’s Grade 1 New York on June 7, and the mare overcame trouble to finish a rallying third at a distance shorter than she prefers.

“She was in a little jam-up down the middle of the backside, then got loose and made a nice run,” Mott said. “We just hope she doesn’t get stopped again.”

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If War Like Goddess performs up to expectations, Mott mentioned Saratoga’s Grade 2, $500,000 Flower Bowl at 1 3/8 miles on Aug. 31 as a short-term goal.

Trainer Christophe Clement entered Atomic Blonde and La Mehana. Atomic Blonde bested a couple of these in Churchill’s Keertana on May 25, while La Mehana, a multiple stakes winner in France, placed third in two starts, both Grade 3 races, since shipping to North America.

“Atomic Blonde is very honest and has been in great form this year,” assistant trainer Miguel Clement said. “La Mehana has been a great acquisition.”

Chop Chop was Grade 1-placed on dirt as a 2-year-old but has been reborn as a longer-distance turf horse, comfortably winning the Bewitch before placing second in the Keertana.

Alpha Bella won Gulfstream’s Grade 3 La Prevoyante at 1 1/2 miles on Jan. 27, then finished second in Monmouth’s Miss Liberty at a substantially shorter trip. She can make the early running stretching back out to a more appropriate distance.

Vergara, third in both the Keertana and Bewitch, also figures close to the pace for trainer Graham Motion, who has won this race nine times.

“Her last two races were 1 1/2 miles, and that’s a bit of a stretch for her,” Motion said. “That makes this quite appealing being a furlong shorter. Her best races in Kentucky Downs were [at 1 5/16 miles). Hopefully, this is more in her wheelhouse.”

Freydis the Red, Lullaby Land, and Pretty Provocative also entered.

Dashing Beauty

Olivia Darling drops out of five consecutive graded races to compete in the Dashing Beauty for fillies and mares racing six furlongs.

Trained by Jorge Delgado, Olivia Darling earned a 99 Beyer winning the Grade 2 Inside Information on Jan. 27 at Gulfstream. After finishing a close second in the Grade 3 Hurricane Bertie there March 9, the 5-year-old mare ran ninth of 10 in a salty edition of the Grade 1 Derby City Distaff.

Beguine also plunges out of the graded ranks for trainer Ned Allard.

“She’s been in some very tough races,” Allard said. “I think a little lesser quality, she’s going to redeem herself and look just fine.”

Goodgirl Badhabits won her first two starts last year by a combined 23 lengths before suffering through a troubled trip in the Grade 1 Acorn. She returned from a lengthy layoff with a blowout five-length victory in a second-level allowance on May 16 at Pimlico.

Afterward, trainer Brittany Russell told Daily Racing Form, “She’s bigger and stronger [this year], mentally she’s even better.”

“She showed us a lot of promise last year,” jockey Sheldon Russell said in the winner’s circle after the last race. “She’s extremely fast, but she’s doing it so easy. It’s scary.”

Grade 3-placed Late Frost enters following a third-place effort in Pimlico’s Skipat, her first start of the year. Grade 2-placed Jersey Pearl makes her 2024 debut after beating White Frost in Mahoning Valley’s Cheryl S. White Memorial on Nov. 20.

Everyoneloveslinda, Red Hot Mess, Fee, and Night Cap also entered.

Battery Park

The two morning-line favorites in the Battery Park for 3-year-olds and up at 1 1/16 miles are likely headed elsewhere, with Drake’s Passage entered in Friday’s Brooklyn in New York and Coastal Mission probable for the John A. Nerud there Saturday.

It leaves a nice opportunity for Shaft’s Bullet, who recently won a high-level allowance on June 14 at Laurel with a 93 Beyer.

Movisitor, recently third in Monmouth’s Grade 3 Salvator Mile, might provide the early pace for trainer Marya Montoya and jockey Mychel Sanchez.

Auto Glide makes his stakes debut following three consecutive victories. Slip Mahoney debuts for trainer Chad Summers after being freshened over the winter. Magic Michael and Irish Cork complete the field.

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