Saratoga: Italian Soiree pulls off 14-1 upset in Coronation Cup

Italian Soiree surged along the inside for her second victory and a 14-1 upset Friday in the Grade 3, $175,000 Coronation Cup, a 5 1/2-furlong turf sprint for 3-year-old fillies at Saratoga.

Owned by Hit The Bid Racing Stable, Morplay Racing and Randall Hartley and trained by John Terranova, the Uncle Mo bay graduated impressively in her 5 1/2-furlong debut over the Belmont at the Big A dirt last July. Returning to that distance on turf in her seventh consecutive stakes outing proved to be successful.

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“This is what we were waiting to try,” said Tonja Terranova, assistant trainer for her husband John Terranova. “We really wanted to do this for a little while. Her mom was a turf sprinter. She ran really well in the turf races last year as a 2-year-old, but we thought shortening her up would really be what she wanted to do.”

This year Italian Soiree was off the board in the one-mile and 40-yard listed Suncoast Stakes on dirt in February at Tampa Bay Downs, the one-mile listed Memories of Silver in April on turf at Aqueduct and the six-furlong Jersey Girl last out on the main track June 8 at Saratoga.

Piloted by Luis Sáez, Italian Soiree exited post 2 sharply but settled in third place to the inside of Laurice. The top-two betting choices Make Haste and Cloe dueled through a sharp opening quarter-mile in 20.99 seconds on the good turf.

Italian Soiree saved ground in the turn, racing to the inside of Júnior Alvarado-piloted Laurice. They pair crept up closer to the leaders, who saw Cloe take command as Make Haste tired through a half-mile in 44.07 seconds.

In the stretch Cloe battled on the front end, and Italian Soiree dived toward a new opening at the rail when Make Haste retreated. Laurice launched her bid to the outside with Abientot rallying from the back.

“(Italian Soiree) put me in a good spot,” Sáez said. “I was a little worried at the top of stretch. I didn’t really have anywhere to go, but we found a way, and she gave me a good turn of foot. When we had the clear run, she gave me a good kick.”

Italian Soiree passed Cloe late as did Laurice and Abientot, but Sáez’s ride made the difference, and that was the order of finish with a final time of 1:02.21. 

The margin of victory was one length to Laurice, who edged Abientot by a neck for place honors with Cloe completing the superfecta. Gata Brazil and Make Haste rounded out the order of finish. Spirited Boss and main-track-only entrants You’ll Be Back, Twirling Beauty and Flat Out Time were scratched.

Tonja Terranova said she was encouraged by Italian Soiree’s 3 1/4-length fourth in the Natalma (G1) going one mile on turf in September at Woodbine. She exited that performance to run a close fifth in the 1 1/16-mile Jessamine (G2) in October on the Keeneland. Turf.

“She went to Canada and ran really well and even at Keeneland against some of the top turf fillies in the country, but the distance was always the question with her,” Tonja Terranova said. “The owners had (Kentucky) Oaks vibes, as everyone does, and we tried to stretch her at Tampa and had a little bit of a tough trip, but this is obviously what she wants to do.”

A logical next race could be the listed $150,000 Galway, a 5 1/2-furlong turf sprint for 3-year-old fillies on Aug. 7 at Saratoga.

Bred in Kentucky by Repole Stable, Italian Soiree is a full-sister to stakes winner Be Better. She is out of Smart Strike mare Social Call, who is a half-sister to graded-stakes winner Old Time Hockey. She was a $600,000 purchase at the March 2024 Ocala Breeders’ Sales auction of 2-year-olds in training.

Italian Soiree banked $96,250 in victory while improving her record to 8: 2-1-0 and returning $31.20 for a $2 win bet.