On Friday, the G3 Bewitch Stakes for four-year-old fillies and older mares is the pinnacle of the card at Keeneland, where War Like Goddess attempt to repeat her last year’s winning performance and defeat the improving 5 year old Family Way
Bewitch Stakes
This G3 race is open to four-year-old fillies and older mares who are about to compete for the purse of $300,000. On the distance of a mile and a half, seven participants will hit the turf surface where War Like Goddess triumphed in 2021.
The William Mott bound five-year-old mare is the leading chance once again due to her last year’s exploit as she scored not only the Bewitch Stakes but also the G2 Glens Falls Stakes and the G1 Flower Bowl Stakes in September. Placing third in the G1 Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf in an outstanding company was also a huge success for War Like Goddess. Basically, the only thing that might stop her is the fact she hasn’t started since November, while her 2021 debut resulted in an underwhelming fifth place.
Therefore, five-year-old Family Way should be her most dangerous threat as she successfully climbed up from Allowance and Listed victories to the Graded competition in 2022. At first, the Brendan Walsh trained grey ran in second in the G3 The Very One Stakes, upon which she achieved her first Graded victory in the G3 Orchid Stakes at the beginning of April. Family Way scored easily back then, and it’s possible she hasn’t shown us everything she’s capable of.
The rest of the field would cause an upset when winning the Bewitch Stakes, with the slight exception of Luck Money. The five-year-old mare is a decent runner who earned some money at the black-type, Listed, and Graded scenes, including running in second in two G3 races in 2021. In terms of La Lune, we still believe she should be able to deliver at this scene, given she managed it in the United Kingdom.
She’s already a six-year-old, and therefore, she might be tired from racing ultimately, but her last year’s second place in a Listed race wasn’t bad. She is considered at least for a fine place alongside Breeze Rider, who has recorded four wins in a black-type.
Last time out, Breeze Rider finished second in a Listed when being the leading victory candidate, while Stand Tall failed to impress at that scene with Core Values just looking like a clear outsider here.
| Horse | Jockey | Horse Racing Odds courtesy of JazzSports |
| Core Values | Rafael Bejarano | +3300 |
| La Lune (GB) | Adam Beschizza | +900 |
| Family Way | Tyler Gaffalione | +425 |
| War Like Goddess | Joel Rosario | -280 |
| Stand Tall | Florent Geroux | +1100 |
| Luck Money | Irad Ortiz, Jr. | +650 |
| Breeze Rider | E. T. Baird | +1700 |
Our Bewitch Stakes Betting Pick is:
War Like Goddess, who hasn’t hit the track since November, but she’s classier than Family Way.
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