After a stakes win in her second start and a grade 1 placing in her third race at age 2, a graded stakes victory figured to be right around the corner for Chop Chop.
Instead that milestone would prove elusive but April 26 the talented 4-year-old daughter of City of Light took care of business in the $290,125 Bewitch Stakes (G3T) at Keeneland, drawing off to a 2 1/4-length score over Atomic Blonde in the 1 1/2-mile test for older fillies and mares.
Winning trainer Brad Cox said a number of things came up in Chop Chop's career to hold off graded stakes glory until her 15th start, making victory on closing day of the spring meet especially satisfying.
"It has been a little bit of an up and down deal," Cox said. "She was able to break her maiden on the grass and win the Kentucky Downs race (Juvenile Fillies Stakes). We shifted her over to the dirt and she ran a really good race here (second by a nose in the Alcibiades Stakes).
#ChopChop takes the $300,000 Bewitch Stakes (G3T) @keenelandracing under Axel Concepcion for trainer @bradcoxracing and owner Selective! 🌟🌟 pic.twitter.com/vnyGapxwFp
— BloodHorse (@BloodHorse) April 26, 2024
"I remember the work before the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies I was thinking she's going to win. We got her over Breeders' Cup week and she just didn't really settle quite as well. We went to the paddock and she really didn't get over her anxiety and didn't run."
While Chop Chop finished off the board as the favorite that day, she typically has been consistent—entering Friday's test with 11 wins or placings in 14 starts—including two stakes wins and four stakes placings.
Her assignment would get easier Friday when morning-line favorite War Like Goddess was scratched by trainer Bill Mott. Daily Racing Form reported she kicked herself in her stall and suffered a small cut. The 7-year-old daughter of English Channel had won the three previous editions of the Bewitch.
Chop Chop built a foundation at Turfway Park over the winter with two wins—including a clear score in the Wintergreen Stakes—and two seconds. Axel Concepcion was aboard for three of those four races and the 2023 Eclipse Award-winning apprentice rider kept the mount Friday, landing his first graded stakes win.
"I feel so happy," said Concepcion, noting the effort involved to reach the milestone. "Hard work and dedication, up all those mornings; I'm very happy."
Since arriving in North America last spring, Atomic Blonde has placed in four graded stakes. Vergara, already a grade 3 winner and sent off the 3-2 favorite, found a tracking position early but did not show another gear in finishing third.
While the versatile Chop Chop earned her first graded stakes win at 1 1/2 miles, completing the race in 2:27.80, Cox noted that he thinks she can be successful at shorter turf distances as well.
Chop Chop is campaigned by Jerry Bach's Selective. Bach has enjoyed plenty of Keeneland success. While racing as Select Stable he campaigned Take Charge Lady, a three-time grade 1 winner at the Lexington track for trainer Ken McPeek.
Bred in Kentucky by Cobra Farm and MRJ Thoroughbreds, Chop Chop is the first stakes winner for the Giant's Causeway mare Grand Sofia, who is a half sister to grade 1 winner Rail Trip.
