Mom’s On Strike Wins Bewitch on Final Day of Spring Meet

By Amy Owens —-

Mom’s On Strike; Keeneland Photos

LEXINGTON, KY (April 27, 2018) – Carl R. Moore Management and Brad Grady’s Mom’s On Strike drew away from her closest rivals in the stretch for a 3¼-length victory over 3-5 favorite Daddys Lil Darling in the 57th running of the $150,000 Bewitch (G3) before a closing-day crowd of 18,690.

The victory marked the first graded stakes win in North America for jockey Adam Beschizza, who rode Triple Chelsea to win the April 14 Giant’s Causeway (L) at Keeneland. Both winners are trained by Joe Sharp.

In the Bewitch, Beschizza was content to race near the back of the pack on Mom’s On Strike in the early stages of the 1½-mile turf race. Meanwhile, Sully’s Dream led her six rivals through fractions of :24.95, :49.65, 1:14.34 and 1 mile in 1:39.18.

Ickymasho (GB) took the lead around the final turn and Daddys Lil Darling moved into second while Mom’s On Strike began to mount her challenge. She surged to the lead inside the final furlong, winning the race in 2:30.02 and giving Beschizza his 11th victory during his first Keeneland meet.

Mom’s On Strike, a 5-year-old daughter of First Dude out of Mom’s Deputy, by War Chant, earned $90,000 for the Bewitch victory, which improved her career record to six wins in 15 starts with earnings of $385,375.

She had four consecutive wins at Churchill Downs and Fair Grounds between last November and February before running fourth behind Sully’s Dream in the New Orleans Ladies Stakes on March 24.

The winner paid $11, $4 and $3.20. Daddys Lil Darling, ridden by Mike Smith, paid $2.40 and $2.10.
Finishing two lengths behind in third was Ickymasho, ridden by Florent Geroux, who paid $4.80.

Coco Channel was another length behind in fourth, and was followed in order by Daring Duchess, Sully’s Dream and Shezaprado.

Quotes from the $150,000 Bewitch (G3)

Click here for a replay of the race

Joe Sharp (winning trainer of Mom’s On Strike)
“With her running style, we just figured she needed more ground. The stretch here at Keeneland is nice and long. Last time (when she was fourth in the March 24 New Orleans Ladies Stakes at Fair Grounds), the ground was pretty firm. There was a little more give in the ground today; I think that definitely helped her.”

Adam Beschizza (winning rider)
“It was an (uneventful) trip for me. She’s a mare that switches (leads) very nicely. This trip is ideal for her because she can get into a nice rhythm. The long stretch here just allows her to lengthen away and get there in her own time.”
On how his riding style fits Mom’s On Strike
“The distance probably suits me and her quite well from what I know. Back home (in Europe), we race over further (distances). Nothing specific. I just have the knack for her running style back at Fair Grounds. We built this niche, and we continued.”

Mike Smith (rider of runner-up Daddys Lil Darling)
“She had the perfect trip. She just did not kick on.”

Florent Geroux (rider of third-place finisher Ickymasho [GB])
“Good trip, I was on the inside next to the leader. My filly was coming off a little bit of a layoff and she ran a great race. She was good to ride, she was a little bit keen, a little bit fresh from the layoff, but after that she was a pretty good ride.”

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