defending champion war like goddess tops 20 nominees to closing-day bewitch

George Krikorian’s War Like Goddess, a finalist for the Eclipse Award as North America’s champion turf female of 2021, headlines a roster of 20 fillies and mares nominated to the 60^th running of the $300,000 Bewitch (G3). 

Slated for a mile and a half on the turf, the Bewitch will be run Friday, April 29 as the closing-day highlight of the 15-day Spring Meet. Entries for the race will be taken Sunday. 

Trained by Bill Mott, War Like Goddess won four graded stakes in 2021 and closed the year with a third-place finish beaten a half-length as the favorite in the Maker’s Mark Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf (G1) at Del Mar. 

Other nominations of note include Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and TOLO Thoroughbreds’ Queen Goddess, winner of the American Oaks (G1) in December and most recently the Santa Ana (G3) at Santa Anita, and Hunter Valley Farm, Debra O’Connor and Marc Detampel’s Family Way, winner of the Orchid (G3) at Gulfstream Park on April 2.