Bewitch Stakes 2014 Contenders & Odds

Las Vegas, NV – The Grade 3 Bewitch Stakes comes our way this Thursday, April 24 from Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Kentucky. Fillies and mares four years old and upward will take to Keeneland’s turf track and go 1 1/8 miles searching for the winner’s portion of the $150,000 purse.

A large field of 12 older females have been confirmed for the Bewitch Stakes – race 8 on Keeneland’s Thursday schedule. Post time is 4:42 PM. Here is a peek into the past performances of all 12 combatants for this mid-week Grade 3 stakes.

Inimitable Romanee – H Graham Motion trained mare had seven starts last year with two seconds and three third place finishes before an nice in the Grade 3 Long Island Handicap at Aqueduct November 9. She continued the good results starting this year with another win in the Grade 3 The Very One Stakes at Gulfstream February 17. Inimitable Romanee stumbled last time out however – a seventh in the Grade 3 Orchid Stakes March 29 and looks for a strong bounceback Thursday on a surface that she has placed in 14 of 18 career starts. Alan Garcia gets the call aboard the 123 pound highweight from the outside post.

Romantica – had five starts last year with two wins, a second and a third place finish – arguably the best result coming in her North American debut – a second in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf last time out. She had a seventh in the Gr 1 Qatar Prix Vermeille at Longchamp September 15 after a win in the Gr 1 Darley Prix Jean Romanet at Deauville August 18 and a second in a Gr 1 at Saint Cloud in May. Romantica has been very competitive this year and is 6-1 on the morning impressive for new trainer Bill Mott and races for the first time in nearly six months. She leaves from Gate 9 with Joel Rosario aboard.

Viva Rafaela – Brazilian bred Todd Pletcher trained mare had two wins and a second in six starts at home before shipping to North America including the Grande Premio Diana (G1)-a classic race for 3-year-old fillies. She recorded her first win in three starts state-side in an Allowance Optional Claiming November 11 after an eighth and a fourth respectively in similar races at Saratoga. She was a disappointing eighth in the Grade 3 Marshua’s River Stakes January 4 but has looked much better in two grade stakes starts since – a third in the Grade 1 The Very One Stakes in February was followed by a good second last time out in the Grade 3 Orchid Stakes at Gulfstream March 29. Viva Rafaela now has three wins, two seconds and a third in 12 career starts and will be looking for her first graded stakes score in North America. John Velazquez will be in the saddle Thursday from post 6.

Caroline Thomas – Barclay Tagg trained filly has 13 career starts with three wins, a second and three third place finishes. She had eight starts in 2013 – on OK third January 27 in the minor Sweetest Chant Stakes at Gulfstream and a pair of fifths in graded stakes action – in the Grade 3 Herecomesthebride Stakes at Gulfstream March 2 and the Grade 2 Sands Point May 27. She had her best career performance August 18 however – an upset win in the Grade 2 Lake Placid over Watsdachances and Concise but fell back to seventh in the Grade 1 Garden City Stakes at Belmont Park September. She has two starts in 2014 – a fourth in the Grade 3 Orchid Stakes last time out followed a fifth in the Grade 3 Suwanne Stakes February 8 and an OK third in the Grade 1 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup at Keeneland October 12 – her last 2013 start. Joe Rocco Jr. will be in the saddle from post 10.

Stick to Your Guns – made her graded stakes debut last time out for Gary Contessa and finished fifth in the Grade 3 Orchid Stakes at Gulfstream March 29 after a second and a win in an Allowance Optional Claiming at Gulfstream in February. She has three wins, a second and two third place finishes in 15 career start and will have Emma-Jayne Wilson in the reins from gate 5.

Bewitch Stakes betting at Keeneland Race Course with OffTrackBetting.com

Aigue Marine – British bred filly and Christophe Clement trainee had two wins, two seconds and two third place finishes in eight starts at home before debuting in North America with a close third in the 2012 Long Island Handicap. She had only three starts last year – a sixth in the 2013 Long Island Handicap November 9 followed an eight month layoff, a seventh in the Grade 3 Orchid Stakes at Gulfstream March 30 and an Allowance Optional Claiming three weeks earlier. Aigue Marine had a good start to her 2014 campaign – a second in the Grade 3 The Very One Stakes at Gulfstream February 15 but most recently fell back to earth with a sixth in the Grade 3 Orchid Stakes at Gulfstream March 29. She leaves from gate 11 with James Graham aboard.

Angel Terrace – Jonathan Sheppard trained filly had two seconds and two third place finishes in six starts last year but did have a career highlight in 2012 on this track – a win in the Grade 3 Pin Oak Valley View Stakes. She enters this week having recorded two straight third place finishes in minor stakes action – the Rood and Riddle Dowager Stakes at Keeneland October 20 and the Kentucky Downs Ladies Marathon September 7. Angel Terrace hits the track for the first time in six months Thursday from post 8 with Julien Leparoux guiding her.

I Dazzle – has two wins and two third in her last four starts overall – two wins and two starts this year. Last time out was a win in the minor Red Camelia Stakes after an Allowance Optional Claiming score – both results at Fair Grounds. Prior to those wins were a pair of third in minor stakes action last summer at Del Mar. Her last graded stakes came last July – a fourth in the Grade 3 Royal Heroine Mile after an OK third in the Grade 2 Marjorie L. Everett Handicap in May. She has four wins and three thirds in her last eight starts overall and looks good ahead of this weekend. Robby Albarado rides from post 3.

Always Kitten – Michael Maker trained filly is coming off a win in the minor Jersey Lilly Stakes at Sam Houston March 1 after a fifth in the minor Marie G. Krantz Memorial, a second in the minor Pago Hop Stakes in November and another minor stakes score – the TaWee Stakes in October. She looks to place in graded stakes company for the first time Thursday after a trio of disappointing graded stakes results in the past – a seventh in the Grade 3 Virginia Oaks in July, a ninth in the Grade 3 Bourbonette Oaks in March, 2013 and a tenth in the 2012 Jessamine Stakes. Rosie Napravnik will be in the saddle from the rail.

Left a Message – Thomas Proctor trained mare is coming off an OK fourth in the Grade 3 The Very One Stakes at Gulfstream February 15 after a disappointing seventh in the Grade 3 Endeavor Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs January 25, a respectable third in the Grade 3 Long Island Handicap at Aqueduct November 9, a third in the minor Rood and Riddle Dowager Stakes at Keeneland October 20, a fourth in the minor Kentucky Downs Ladies Marathon and a nice win in the minor Flaming Page Stakes at Woodbine in August. She has three wins, four seconds and a third place finishes in 15 career starts but has failed to place in her last two starts overall. Left a Message hopes to get on track Thursday with Jose Lezcano aboard from post 2.

Street of Gold – has placed in just two of her last six starts overall – a third in an Allowance last time out April 2 at Charles Town and a second in an Allowance Optional Claiming at Churchill Downs in November. She has three graded stakes starts in her career – two sixth place finishes and a seventh. Street of Gold hopes for a breakthrough performance Thursday with Shaun Bridgmohan in the saddle from gate 4.

Freedom Reigns – trainer Neil Drysdale sends out Freedom Reigns who has yet to place in a graded stakes race. She looks for her first win since July 2012 Thursday and is coming off a third in an Allowance here April 11. Before that was a fourth in an Allowance Optional Claiming and an OK second in the CTT and Thoroughbred Owners of California Handicap in August. Corey Lanerie will be aboard looking to snap the lengthy drought from gate 7.

Race 8 on Keeneland Race Course’s Thursday card with a Post Time of 4:42 PM.