War Like Goddess Goes Back-To-Back in the Joe Hirsch

[Wandering Eyes]

Her sire won the 2007 GI Breeders' Cup Turf in similarly soft underfoot conditions not far away at Monmouth Park, and George Krikorian's WAR LIKE GODDESS (m, 6, English Channel–Misty North, by North Light {Ire}) found her best stride in the waning stages of Saturday's GI Joe Hirsch Turf Classic and motored home to successfully defend her title. With Junior Alvarado at the controls for the first time, the $30,000 OBS June bargain lingered towards the back of the pack through the early exchanges, racing in the company of third favorite Stone Age (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) as So High (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) went pedal to the metal from the fence beneath Romero Maragh. The latter was in a race of his own down the backstretch, opening up by as many as 20 lengths before odds-on Rebel's Romance (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), prepping for a title defense of his own in the GI Breeders' Cup Turf, was first to attempt to make any inroads. So High continued on that long lead into the final three-eighths of a mile and while Rebel's Romance peaked on his run in upper stretch, War Like Goddess was pulled out into the center of the boggy course and steamed home for the victory. Soldier Rising (GB) (Frankel {GB}) ran on to complete the exacta ahead of So High in third. Rebel's Romance could do no better than fourth. War Like Goddess would go on to be a low-odds third, with Stone Age second, in last year's Turf at Keeneland. The Hirsch was her second victory in four runs this season, having annexed Keeneland's GIII Bewitch S. back in April before finishing sixth in a slow-paced renewal of the GI New York S. June 9 and a neck second in the GII Glens Falls S. at Saratoga Aug. 3. Sales history: $1,200 Wlg '17 KEENOV; $1,000 RNA Ylg '18 KEESEP; $30,000 2yo '19 OBSJUN. Lifetime Record: 17-11-2-2. O-George Krikorian; B-Calumet Farm (KY); T-Bill Mott.

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