Horse Racing

Keep an eye on the championship with War Like Goddess


SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY – With her first-class race record plus her very unique name, all wrapped up in a compelling story, War Like Goddess (English Channel) is a mare auction not to be missed for the championship.

Although her late stallion was a race champion and a top stallion for many years, the first foal from Misty North (North Light {Ire}) brought in only $1,200 in weaning auction and did not withdraw a single bid at Keeneland’s September 2018 sale. At the OBS sale in June 2019, bloodline dealer Donato Lanni bought the 2-year-old dog for $30,000 for longtime customer George Krikorian.

“I bought her with that name, and I told Donato, ‘I don’t like the name,’” said Krikorian. I didn’t see the horse then because he was in Florida and I was out here in California when he called me about the horse. I didn’t see her for 4 months or 5 months after that. When I see her, I look at her and I say, ‘Hey, we don’t need to change her name. She is beautiful. She is a Goddess of War. ‘”

About 38 months after Lanni identified her as a budget-priced project, War Like Goddess is sure to become a race favorite for the seventh time in a row as the 5-year-old takes seventh place in the competition. GII Flower Bowl S worth $600,000. on the grass inside.

Unbeaten in three starts at Saratoga Racecourse, War Like Goddess has won eight of 10 starts in her life and earned more than $1.2 million under the care of Hall coach Bill Mott. of Fame. She won the 2021 Flower Bowl by 2 1/4 of the length when it was run in Saratoga for the first time at the new 1 3/8 mile. Long a Class I, it was relegated to Class II this year.

After War Like Goddess won GII Glens Falls S. 1/4 length on May 2 on August 6, Mott said he was considering having her fight the men in Sword Dancer on August 6. August 26 to give her another shot in Rank I won and kept her at a mile and a half. He chose the Flower Bowl, where she drew column four in field seven.

In Glens Falls, she won by a narrower margin than in 2021, but Mott says it was just the result of a patient ride by Joel Rosario.

“This year, she was sitting there and he drove her from about here to there,” said Mott, pointing to a spot less than 40 yards away. “To me, it seemed like she was sitting, sitting, sitting and he took her away, he rubbed her body a little bit.”

The last words of the chart note describe the Glens Falls victory as “as satisfied riders.”

“He was holding her in his hand, looking like that,” Mott said, “when he was approaching the wire.”

Lanni suggested that Kirkorian ask Mott to always patiently train the dirty. Mott agrees and says he doesn’t remember having any expectations of her when she joined his stable.

Mott said: “You just wait and see. “You just train them and do the best you can. We have to give her a reasonable amount of time. She didn’t run until September of her 3rd year. It took a long time to prepare her. She’s got baby stuff, shins, stuff like that. “

In that first start at Churchill Down, War Like Goddess rushed into the fray from afar and won at 9 feathers three-quarters the length. Mott said it’s a clear strength that she has earned ,800 in her career.

“She can run,” he said. “She has a very good footwork. That’s what it takes. She is quick. “

Krikorian, president and chief executive officer of Krikorian Premiere Theatre, has a lifetime of experience with Thoroughbreds. His father, George Krikorian Sr., was a coach on the New England track and he grew up near Rockingham Park in New Hampshire. As his entertainment business grew, he became an owner and then a rancher. Equibase stats show him with 290 wins – 24 decentralized stakes – from 1,729 matches that started bearing his name since 2000.

With the $323,500 she’s earned this year, War Like Goddess has overtaken first-place winners Starrer (Dynaformer) and Hollywood Story (Wild Rush) to top Krikorian’s career stability list. Her ability to run late has made her Kirkorian’s third millionaire and fifth Class I winner.

“It was amazing when she just put it on, how quickly she sped up,” he said. “It was amazing to see her do it. She is very competitive, as you can see. She doesn’t want to lose a race. She will fight hard. “

The first horse Lanni advised Krikorian to buy was Starrer, a horse picked up for $35,000 at the Fasig Tipton Fall Sale 1999. In 2002, they bought Hollywood Story for $130,000. Krikorian says that when Lanni – now a famous consultant – called, he listened.

“We have a blood dealer in Donato Lanni,” says Krikorian. “We have known each other and are friends and have been in business for many years now. And when he told me he saw something that he liked. I’m really happy to hear that because he’s usually right, that’s for sure. “

War Like Goddess won her first grant at the end of October in her second start and debuted at age 4 with the GIII Very One S. recovered from that defeat and racked up four wins classified before finishing third after half time as the favorite team in GI Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf. Mott thinks above all, she ran well in the Breeders’ Cup.

“She did it could be a broad tick and could be a tick soon,” he said.

This year with Rosario replacing Julien Leparoux, she returned to racing in April with her second win in GIII Bewitched at Keeneland. A minor physical problem prevented her from participating in GI New York in June and River Memories S. on July 10 at Belmont Park was not filled. She handled the seven-man field at Glens Falls after a three-month break and headed into the fall at the Flower Bowl towards the GI Breeders’ Cup Turf 12 longs against males.

Mott said he tends to run on grass because GI Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf will be contested at 1 3/16 miles instead of 1 3/8 miles due to the configuration of the Keeneland turf. He believes she’s at her best at 12, where she’s 4 to 4, and he’s not worried about her having a slightly lighter schedule this summer.

“Perhaps it will help,” he said. “She’s not a great big, fat person. Even though she can run, I don’t think she’s someone you want to lead there every three weeks. Of course, in the way of the races, we wouldn’t be able to do that either way. I guess we’ll have one more race in her. And maybe they helped us. Sometimes those things work. Maybe the fact that we don’t have a race in Belmont, maybe that’s to her advantage at the end of the year. We always use the term ‘they happen for a reason…,’ you know. “





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