English Rose Awaits War Like Goddess in New York Stakes

After a minor setback delayed her 7-year-old debut, multiple grade 1 winner War Like Goddess  will face an international field when she makes her first start of 2024 in the $750,000 New York Stakes (G1T) June 7 on the Mellon Turf Course at Saratoga Race Course.

With three grade 1 victories, including a pair over males in the past two editions of the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Stakes, George Krikorian’s War Like Goddess has developed a fan following in winning 11 of her 18 starts in four seasons of turf racing for Racing Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott. 

War Like Goddess was scheduled to begin her 2024 campaign in the Bewitch Stakes (G3T) April 26 at Keeneland but a cut suffered in her stall prevented her from going for a fourth straight victory in that 1 1/2-mile turf test for older fillies and mares. Instead, on Friday she’ll be making her first start since an off-the-board finish against males in the Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1T) Nov. 4 at Santa Anita Park.

In the mornings Mott’s still seeing plenty of desire to race from the daughter of English Channel, who has worked three times on the Oklahoma Training Track at Saratoga since May 17. Jockey Junior Alvarado, who was aboard for her final two starts of 2023 that included a victory in the Joe Hirsch, will be aboard.

“She’s aged like fine wine,” Mott said. “When they get to this age, it’s one race at a time. As long as she’s willing to do it and she’s sound, we’ll continue on through the end of the year. Junior has won on her and he knows her now, which is good.” 

Awaiting War Like Goddess will be Godolphin homebred English Rose , who finished second in the Jenny Wiley Stakes (G1T) April 13 at Keeneland in her first United States start. The 4-year-old daughter of Frankel   won this year’s Balanchine Stakes (G2T) in February at Meydan Race Course.

English Rose is the 3-1 morning-line favorite in Friday’s 1 3/16-mile race for older fillies and mares. (The race typically is 1 1/4 miles at Belmont Park but has been shortened slightly to match the Saratoga configuration.)

Trainer Chad Brown has dominated the female turf division in North America the past several seasons and he’ll send out a pair of runners for Klaravich Stables in grade 1 winner McKulick , who finished third in last year’s New York, and Royalty Interest , who enters off a win in the Sheepshead Bay Stakes (G3T) May 3 at Aqueduct. Brown has won the past two editions of the New York and five of the past eight.

Last year Brown sent out Klaravich Stables’ Marketsegmentation  to a three-quarter-length win over Didia . Merriebelle Stables and Resolute Racing’s Didia, a group 1 winner in Argentina, returns in the New York this season off a third-place finish in the Jenny Wiley.