Arles gives Motion a good shot at another Bewitch

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Another eventful spring meet will come to a relatively quiet end Friday at Keeneland, where Graham Motion stands a good chance to resume his domination of the traditional closing-day feature, the Bewitch Stakes.

Motion has won three of the last four renewals of the Grade 3, $150,000 Bewitch and has the solid favorite for this 56th running of the 1 1/2-mile turf race in Arles, who has been worse than third only once in 12 career starts. Joel Rosario will be aboard when the 5-year-old French-bred mare breaks from the outside post in a field of six fillies and mares.

Since being purchased last summer by Team Valor International and Green Lantern Stables, Arles has finished second in all three of her U.S. starts, most recently by a length to Suffused in the Grade 3 La Prevoyante on the Jan. 28 Pegasus World Cup undercard at Gulfstream Park.

Team Valor and Motion considered her for the Grade 3 The Very One – ultimately won by five lengths by Suffused – before taking a pass.

“We just didn’t want to run against Suffused again,” Team Valor president Barry Irwin said. “She’s really, really good right now. We decided to just wait for the next opportunity.”

With no fewer than nine workouts since her latest start, Arles should be fresh and fit and in line for her first victory since last June in Germany, when she was trained by Andreas Wohler.

“She was always supposed to be a really good filly,” Irwin said. “Her former trainer told me not to run her beyond 11 furlongs, but I don’t think 12 is a stretch, at least not in this spot.”

Foremost among the opposition for Arles are Earring (post 4, Florent Geroux), fourth in the March 4 The Very One; Inchargeofme (post 1, Edgar Prado), fourth in a second-level allowance here two Fridays ago; and Daring Duchess (post 2, Julien Leparoux), a sharp allowance winner last fall at Belmont Park for Ken and Sarah Ramsey and trainer Mike Maker.

Dyna’s Recoleta (post 3, Jose Lezcano) and Quiet Business (post 5, Brian Hernandez Jr.) round out the Bewitch lineup.

Motion’s prior Bewitch winners came with Strathnaver (2013), Inimitable Romanee (2014), and Kitten’s Point (2015). Motion also has twice won the fall counterpart to the Bewitch, the Dowager.

The Bewitch, named for the great Calumet Farm mare who retired in 1951, is carded as the ninth of 10 races on a closing-day card that starts at 1:05 p.m. Eastern. The feature goes at 5:30.

After this 15th spring program, action on the Kentucky circuit moves Saturday night to Churchill Downs in Louisville.

KEY CONTENDERS

Arles, by Monsun Last 3 Beyers: 94-95-96

◗ Rosario has enjoyed an outstanding month and led the meet standings entering Wednesday action by a 14-12 count over Javier Castellano.

Earring, by Dansili Last 3 Beyers: 86-82-89

◗ Kentucky-bred mare was beaten a nose last fall in the Grade 3 Long Island on the Aqueduct turf, an effort that makes her a threat here.

Daring Duchess, by Arch Last 3 Beyers: 83-81-90

◗ She makes her first start of the year. The Ramseys, the perennial leading owners at Keeneland, have had a decidedly subpar meet (1 for 17 into Wednesday).

Inchargeofme, by High Chapparal Last 3 Beyers: 80-84-77

◗ Her decent effort here April 14 makes her the only starter in the field with benefit of a race over the course at this meet.