LEXINGTON, Ky. – Overcoming the kind of trip that usually does no favors to a stretch-runner like her, War Like Goddess nonetheless proved clearly best Friday in the closing-day feature at Keeneland, the Grade 3 Bewitch Stakes. Confidently ridden by Joel Rosario, War Like Goddess surged between rivals at the furlong grounds when pulling away to a 1 3/4-length triumph in the $298,500 Bewitch. Early fractions in the 1 1/2-mile turf race were 26.71, 53.77, and 1:19.88, even over a course rated firm. “Very slow first half and three-quarters,” said Bill Mott, the Hall of Fame trainer who conditions War Like Goddess for George Krikorian. “The filly overcame it. I think Joel did well with the way it didn’t set up for us and the filly was good enough to win.” Only five fillies and mares started in the 60th Bewitch Stakes, which brought the 15-day spring meet to an end. Breeze Rider set the pace most of the way, with Rosario doing all he could to save ground on all three turns while keeping his mount from charging to the front from just a couple of lengths off the lead. “It looked like he could’ve been on the lead whenever he wanted,” Mott said of Rosario. :: Want the best bonus in racing? Get a $250 deposit match, $10 free bet, and free Formulator with DRF Bets. Code: WINNING War Like Goddess returned $2.40 as a huge favorite after finishing in 2:31.26. Family Way, the 7-2 second choice, was second, another length before Core Values. Breeze Rider and La Lune completed the order. Stand Tall and Luck Money were early scratches from an original lineup of seven. The victory was the second in a row in the Bewitch for War Like Goddess, a 5-year-old Kentucky-bred by English Channel. This was her first start since she was third by a half-length in the Nov. 6 Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf at Del Mar, a defeat that cost her a divisional Eclipse Award. She now has won seven of nine overall starts and earned $1,079,684. “I can’t see that she’s not as good this year,” said Mott. “I think the race today is a pretty good start. Things change as the year progresses, but hopefully she’ll maintain the form she’s got now.” Mott will use the Bewitch to pivot toward more important divisional races such as the Grade 1 Flower Bowl, which War Like Goddess won last September at Saratoga, before bringing her back for the BC Filly and Mare Turf, which is set for Nov. 5 here at Keeneland. This was the fifth time Mott has won the Bewitch over a span of nearly 40 years. His first two came with Heatherten (1984) and Gaily Gaily (1989), before the race was run on turf; the others were with Miss Lenora (1993) and War Like Goddess last year. The $2 exacta (4-3) paid $3.60 and the $1 trifecta (4-3-1) returned $6.30. Live action on the Kentucky circuit moves Saturday night to Churchill Downs, where a 44-day spring meet starts with racing under the lights.