War Like Goddess Seeks Second Flower Bowl Win

A horse’s advanced age is hardly a stumbling block when a Thoroughbred is in the hands of Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott.

Just a year ago, when Mott received the Eclipse Award for outstanding trainer for a fourth time, he won graded stakes with a 2-year-old champion in Just F Y I  and Channel Maker , who won the Bowling Green Stakes (G2T) at the age of 9.

So, it should come as no surprise that Mott has George Krikorian’s grade 1-winning mare War Like Goddess  back in winning form at the robust age of 7 and will run her as one of the favorites in the $500,000 Flower Bowl Stakes (G2T), a Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series race for fillies and mares Aug. 31 at Saratoga Race Course.

“She ended up the year good last year and the owner was fine with running her,” Mott said. “She’s come back fine and she’s only run twice, but she’s run well each time.”

A winner of three grade 1 stakes, including the 2021 Flower Bowl when it was a grade 1, the durable daughter of English Channel has made 20 starts since starting her career in 2020 and owns 12 wins and earnings of $2,775,184.

She started this year with a rallying third at Saratoga in the June 7 New York Stakes (G1T), which was a tad short for her at 1 3/16 miles, then won the July 7 Robert G. Dick Memorial Stakes (G3T) at Delaware Park, which was contested at a more suitable 1 3/8 miles.

“She looked good in her last race and we gave her a nice break since then,” Mott said. “She’s worked well and we’re seeing what we need to see from her.”

Going 1 3/8 miles around three turns in the Flower Bowl should suit War Like Goddess’ late-running style. As a Challenge Series stakes for the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf (G1T), it could pave the way for a fourth trip to the Breeders’ Cup, especially with the Filly and Mare Turf contested at 1 3/8 miles this year at Del Mar.

In her three previous appearances at the World Championships, the Calumet-bred daughter of the North Light mare Misty North was third in both the 2022 Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1T) and 2021 Filly and Mare Turf.

The nine turf entrants for the Flower Bowl also include the Saratoga-loving McKulick , who has three wins and two seconds in six starts on the Spa’s grass courses.

Klaravich Stables’ daughter of Frankel   also thrives at longer distances and is coming off a victory in the 1 1/2-mile Glens Falls Stakes (G2T) at the meet for leading trainer Chad Brown.

She was second in last year’s Flower Bowl to West Point Thoroughbreds and Dream With Me Stable’s Parnac , who is also in the field and was second, 2 1/4 lengths behind McKulick in the Glens Falls for trainer Christophe Clement.

Brown will also send out Klaravich’s Idea Generation , a daughter of Dubawi  who was second last year in the 1 3/8-mile Waya Stakes.(G3T).

The field also includes Godolphin’s Teofilo  filly Eternal Hope , who was fourth as the favorite in the Glens Falls, and Michael Milam’s Pennsylvania-bred Neecie Marie  (Cross Traffic  ), who was third in the Beverly D. Stakes (G2T).