Mom's On Strike wins Bewitch Stakes on closing day at Keeneland

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.