The Soaring Softly – (Grade lll)

Purse $200.00 – For Fillies Three Years Old

 5½ Furlongs – Turf

Saratoga – June 7, 2026

Three-year-old fillies get their chance to take center stage on the turf this Sunday in the 11th running of The Soaring Softly Stakes. This is the first stakes of the Belmont Racing Festival for straight three-year-olds sprinting on the grass, and it features a bunch of rising stars. This stakes has always been a seven-furlong event and was changed to five and a half furlongs due to the venue switch. Also, there was a purse increase from $100.00 to $175.00 that started in 2023, and The Soaring Softly received graded stakes honors in 2018. With the distance change only coming last year, Mb Stables’ People Pleaser set the mark running the five and a half furlongs in 1:02.79. La Canada Racehorses sits atop the owner standings with two victories, with both coming on soft turf and a winning margin of four lengths combined in both wins. There looks to be weather in the forecast, which could definitely make things interesting. Let’s take a closer look at this year’s contenders!

1. Lagos – (Family Racing, I. Castillo) Someone could’ve picked up this New Jersey-bred for $5.00 back in October last year after not picking up her feet first time out. However, everything changed when connections put Lagos on the grass in her third start. She broke last and came flying in the stretch to win by an easy length. This daughter of Rancor rattled off two more wins after her maiden in an allowance and in the Sweet Life Stakes. Then, Lagos had a misfire down in Florida where she didn’t make up any ground and finished last. Things changed in the last race, where she once again showed her dangerous turn of foot and missed by a head. If there is any pace up front, this filly will be closing fast.

2. Solar Lady – (Maxmillion Farm, J R. Velazquez) Has continued to make headlines with back-to-back graded stakes wins in Kentucky. Not to mention, his filly has never finished off the board in five career starts. Solar Lady broke her maiden against state-breds at Santa Anita, and connections tried to parlay that effort in the Herecomesthebride Stakes. Not only was it her first time going two turns, but the grass was soft that day. This daughter of Solar System didn’t seem to care as she finished second. Solar Lady was even more impressive when she cut back to five and a half furlongs and captured the Limestone TS and the Mamzelle as the heavy favorite. No doubt my top pick in here.

3. Indubita – (Mb Stables, M. Gutierrez) It was a very productive two-year-old season for this California-bred, as she added a graded stakes to her résumé. Indubita ended her year in the Breeders Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint, but didn’t make much headway in the stretch. Connections tried to get this filly on the Kentucky Oaks trail with starts in the Demoiselle and Santa Ysabel Stakes. Things didn’t go as planned there either, as Indubita seems to only like running on the green stuff. She got back in the winner’s circle last time out against allowance company at Lone Star. The winning margin was only a head, but the daughter of No Doubt About It put up a 95 speed figure. A step up is needed to beat this field.

4. Franklymydearscarlet – (Big Jd Racing, V. Espinoza) This filly’s recent form has been a bit spotty, but she still has some notable efforts. Big Jd Racing has been experimenting with different equipment every other start, which might explain her recent form. Franklymydearscarlet broke her maiden against state-breds, which allowed her connections to take advantage of clearing the N1X condition twice. She captured her first allowance in October of last year after adding blinkers. The daughter of Prevent has been trying to get her second allowance win in her last three starts, and found the winner’s circle in her last race. While talented, she faces a significant class test as she steps into stakes company.

5. Matilda Jung – (Noblepark, F. Geroux) Another filly who is making her first start against stakes company. This homebred for Noblepark cleared her maiden condition in her third start at Fair Grounds, going seven and a half furlongs. She was the favorite that day and settled just off the pace to win by an easy two lengths. Connections then decided to stretch her out around a route of ground down in Florida. Things didn’t go as planned, as Matilda Jung couldn’t get lucky and run on firm turf. I would put a line through both of her two-turn races and focus on her sprint efforts. She won last time out at Woodbine going six furlongs, once again stalking the pace and came with a run. One to watch.

6. Ava Gardner – (Big Jd Racing, R. Santana Jr.) The second entrant for Big Jd Racing and has the most wins in the field with nine. Ava Gardner figures to be one of the early pacesetters, as almost all of her wins have come in wire-to-wire fashion. After breaking her maiden by two lengths last year, this speedster went on a four-race win streak. It included two allowance wins and a stakes victory in The Melody Of Colors Stakes. Connections made the jump into the Grade Three Limestone Turf Sprint, where she lost a little ground late to finish third by only a length. Last time out, Ava Gardner stretched out an extra furlong and became a graded stakes winner at Santa Anita. A major contender.

7. Ice Water – (Maxmillion Farm, M J. Sanchez) The most lightly raced filly in the field with four career starts. She was a $150.00 private purchase as a two-year-old and only raced once in her juvenile campaign. Ice Water ended up being victorious in that start at Santa Anita, winning by a neck, taking the field all the way. We didn’t see this California-bred for ten months when she appeared in the Sunland Park Oaks trying to get on the Kentucky Oaks trail. An eighth-place effort left Maxmillion Farm to experiment on the grass down in Florida. I would say it was a success as Ice Water yielded late and saved second. She’ll need to prove she belongs at this level, having yet to compete in graded stakes company.

8. Extreme Hobbit – (Williams9, L J. Luzzi) An improving sort who has continued to increase her speed figures in every start. She was bought just two starts ago for $85.00 after being undefeated on the turf. Extreme Hobbit broke her maiden by an easy two lengths in wire-to-wire fashion, and backed up that effort with a stakes win. Both of those performances were at seven and one-half furlongs. Now in a new barn, this Ontario-bred made her first start against graded stakes company last month. Extreme Hobbit was favored, and connections used the same tactics. I think the cutback in distance this Sunday should help this filly, but her outside post isn’t doing her any favors.

– AJM

Categories: Grade III, STAKES ARTICLES