War Like Goddess tops Flower Bowl
War Like Goddess wins the Joe Hirsh S. at Belmont at the Big A. (Photo by Coglianese Photography / Credit to Susie Raisher)
August 30th, 2024
A total of nine fillies and mares are entered for the lawn in Saturday’s $500,000 Flower Bowl S. (G2) over the Saratoga inner turf. The ageless #1 War Like Goddess, who won the race in 2021 and finished a close second the following season, is the one that they will have to hold off late once again.
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Trained by Bill Mott, the classy daughter of English Channel has been a gem of a mare over the years, and her two outings this season indicate that she still has plenty left in the tank at age seven. The bay commenced her campaign with a rallying third in the deep New York (G1) on the course at a distance much shorter than her ideal one, and she was a measured winner at Delaware most recently in advance of Saturday.
War Like Goddess sports a 6-3-2-1 mark at the Spa. Since she is a late running type, the rail seems like a great fit for her to save ground before starting her potent late burst. Regular pilot Junior Alvarado has the call atop the star.
Chad Brown’s #7 McKulick was awesome in her Glens Falls (G2) score last time at 1 1/2 miles and will be a menacing figure with anything resembling that performance. This Frankel five-year-old was a runner-up in last year's race behind a clear leader who recorded dawdling early fractions, but the pace will be more honest this time around. The bay has versatility in her running style, performs well at Saratoga, and has leading pilot Irad Ortiz Jr. in the silks. The mare wouldn’t be a surprise.
#6 Neecie Marie is a horse that I like more than many others do, and she is a nice top-three fit in this affair. Trained by Butch Reid, the Grade 3 heroine was a smart third in the recent Beverly D. S. (G2) at Colonial Downs, and it’s worth noting that her lone try at this trip resulted in a neck second in the Jockey Club Oaks (G3) at Aqueduct last season. She will have Jose Lezcano in the stirrups and will be a generous price yet again.
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