Mott, O’Brien still swinging

DEL MAR, Calif. – Trainers Aidan O’Brien and Bill Mott rank in the top six in Breeders’ Cup history in wins and purse money won. Neither has won the Filly and Mare Turf. It’s not for a lack of trying.

O’Brien, who ranks second in purse money won and fourth in wins at the Breeders’ Cup, is winless with 15 starters in 12 runnings of this race. Mott, who ranks sixth in both wins and purse money won in the 37 years of the Breeders’ Cup, is 0 for 8 in the Filly and Mare Turf.

Undeterred, both trainers are back with major contenders in Saturday’s $2 million Filly and Mare Turf, to be run at 1 3/8 miles at Del Mar. In a race where the favorite has won just once in the last 14 years, Mott sends out the 7-2 morning-line choice in War Like Goddess while O’Brien saddles Love, the co-second choice in a 12-horse field.

War Like Goddess, a 4-yearold daughter of 2007 BC Turf winner English Channel, has won six of seven career starts and is 3 for 3 at the distance. Mott has had this race in mind since April, when War Like Goddess won the Grade 3 Bewitch at Keeneland for her second victory of 2021.

Mott gave War Like Goddess four months off before bringing her back to win the Grade 2 Glens Falls and Grade 1 Flower Bowl at Saratoga. She will have two months between starts, which is by design.

“I don’t have any concerns about it. She’s a really lightmade, athletic filly,” Mott said. “I got to believe the extra time helps more than had I run her back somewhere. I don’t think I’m ever going to second-guess myself on that.”

War Like Goddess has won with a devastating turn of foot that has swept her past the competition with ease. However, in this race, she meets just one horse – My Sister Nat – whom she has previously faced.

“We sort of had the ones we met this year over a barrel,” Mott said. “But, hey, look, I like my spot.”

Julien Leparoux, who won the 2008 Filly and Mare Turf on Forever Together, rides War Like Goddess from post 7.

Love, a 4-year-old daughter of Galileo was being pointed to the $4 million Turf. When several of the O’Brien/Coolmoreowned males were relegated to the also-eligible list for that race, the decision was made to redirect Love to this race.

Love was a three-time Group 1 winner at 3, but is only 1 for 4 this year. She beat Audarya, the defending Filly and Mare Turf winner, in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot in June. She twice finished third against males in both the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes and Juddmonte International before getting beat a nose by La Petite Coco in the Group 2 Blandford Stakes. O’Brien pointed out that Love was conceding nine pounds to the winner that day.

Love was targeting the Arc de Triomphe on Oct. 3 but scratched due to a fever. Her bloodwork still wasn’t quite right two weeks later, which kept her out of the Champion Stakes at Ascot.

“Everything is right since. She seems to be in good form,” O’Brien said. “Everybody is

happy with her.”

O’Brien said if Love breaks well, he sees her attaining a forward position from post 6 under Ryan Moore.

Love is the co-second choice at 4-1 on the morning line with Loves Only You, who seeks to become the first Japanesebased horse to win a Breeders’ Cup race. Loves Only You came within a half-length of Mishriff – the $20 million Saudi Cup winner – in the Group 1 Dubai Sheema Classic in March. After winning the Queen Elizabeth II Cup in Hong Kong in April, trainer Yoshito Yahagi targeted the Breeders’ Cup.

Loves Only You has started just once since, that being a closing second to the 3-yearold filly Sodashi in the Group 2 Sapporo Kinen. Sodashi came back to run 10th in a Group 1 at Hanshin on Oct. 17.

“She came with a strong finish, there was a big weight difference [six pounds] between the winner and us because the winner was a 3-year-old filly,” trainer Yoshito Yahagi said through an interpreter.

On Tuesday, Loves Only You blew out three furlongs over the Del Mar turf in 38.69 seconds. Yahagi likened the Del Mar course to the Sapporo course she ran her last race on.

Audarya, who won this race last year at 17-1 when it was run at 1 3/16 miles at Keeneland, is seeking a repeat victory for trainer James Fanshawe. Audarya is 0 for 4 this year but found herself on heavy ground when fourth, beaten 1 1/2 lengths by Rougir, in the Prix de l’Opera on Oct. 3.

Last year, Fanshawe had to make a late rider change when regular jockey Ioritz Mendizabal contracted COVID-19. Ironically, Fanshawe himself can’t make the trip over this year because he tested positive for COVID.

Fanshawe, who has William Buick to ride Audarya Saturday, blames course condition this year for Audarya not having won.

“Her best performance was on quick ground at the Breeders’ Cup and her second best was at the Prince of Wales’s,”

Fanshawe said. “She looks very happy on the track from what I can see [on video] at Del Mar.”

Rougir ended a six-race losing streak in the Prix de l’Opera, but her three previous losses came by a neck, neck, and head.

Rougir caught the attention Tuesday morning as she threw her back legs out several times while warming up before her training session.

“She’s fresh and happy, we are happy with her,” said Pauline Chehboub, racing manager for the owner, Haras de la Gousserie. “She’s had a big season. I think she will run a big race. We think the track and the pace will suit her.”

Of the last 10 runnings of the Filly and Mare Turf, Europeanbased runners have won six, Chad Brown the other four. Saturday, Brown sends out the duo of My Sister Nat and Pocket Square, both coming off Grade 3 victories at Belmont Park. My Sister Nat, a half-sister to 2018 Filly and Mare Turf winner

Sistercharlie, has trained forwardly since the Waya.

Pocket Square, after two disappointing runs in Grade 1 stakes, regrouped with an allowance win and a victory in the Grade 3 Athenia.

Brown said My Sister Nat “is peaking right now. She’ll have to really step up in this race. The distance will be no problem for her, the other one it’s a question mark.”

Going to Vegas and Dogtag are the local hopes in the Filly and Mare Turf. Going to Vegas has speed and will likely attempt to use her rail draw to her advantage under Umberto Rispoli for trainer Richard Baltas.

Dogtag has four wins and a third in five starts this year and could outrun her 30-1 morningline odds under Flavien Prat for Richard Mandella.

Queen Supreme was crossentered in the Mile but would need two scratches to draw into that field. Acanella and Ocean Road complete the lineup.

BARBARA D. LIVINGSTON War Like Goddess is 6 for 7 in her career and is unbeaten in three starts going 1 3/8 miles.

BARBARA D. LIVINGSTON Prix de l’Opera winner Rougir, a 3-year-old filly, was feeling full of herself on the track during training hours on Tuesday.