Gathering Takes On Regalo Mia in Bewitch

Augustin Stable’s Gathering, an impressive allowance winner at Keeneland on April 6, takes on multiple stakes winner Regalo Mia, three horses trained by H. Graham Motion and seven other horses that were entered Sunday for the 52nd running of the $150,000 Bewitch Stakes (G3) on Thursday.

The Bewitch, a 1½-mile race on turf for fillies and mares, four-year-olds and up, will go as the eighth race on Thursday’s nine-race program with a 4:42 p.m. (ET) post time.

Gathering, a four-year-old daughter of Street Cry (IRE), scored a 3¾-length victory in the 1 1/8-mile allowance, defeating Bewitch rival Dynarama. On Sunday, she worked five furlongs in 1:02.20 for trainer Jonathan Sheppard, who won the 2009 Bewitch with Augustin’s Winter View.

Regalo Mia, a four-year-old Sligo Bay (IRE) filly, is coming off a win in the 1½-mile Orchid Stakes (G3) on March 30 at Gulfstream Park. She opened 2013 by winning the Sunshine Millions Filly and Mare Turf Stakes on January 19 at Gulfstream. Michelle Nihei trains Regalo Mia, the 120-pound highweight, for owner Steven W. Ciccarone.

Andrew Stone owns two of Motion’s starters, Qushchi (GB) and Strathnaver (GB). The latter set Gulfstream’s 1 3/16-mile turf course record when she won her last start, an allowance race on March 16.

Team Valor International and Robert V. LaPenta own Angegreen (ITY), who finished second to Regalo Mia in the Orchid.

The field for the Bewitch, from the rail out, is as follows: Qushchi (GB) (Edgar Prado, 118 pounds), Kissable (IRE) (Julien Leparoux, 118), Revelstoke (Brian J. Hernandez Jr., 118), Alaura Michele (Gary Stevens, 118), Gathering (Rosie Napravnik, 118), And Why Not (Shaun Bridgmohan, 118), Charming She Is (Leandro Goncalves, 118), Scampering (Javier Castellano, 118), Regalo Mia (Luis Contreras, 120), Dynarama (James Graham, 118), Strathnaver (GB) (Joel Rosario, 118), and Angegreen (ITY) (Joseph Rocco Jr., 118).