Soaring Softly Winner Daring Kathy likely for Saratoga

It was smooth sailing for heavy favorite Daring Kathy ($3.80) in the $75,000 Soaring Softly Stakes Saturday at Gulfstream Park. The 5-year-old mare was coming off a pair of second-place finishes while sprinting against males, and loomed as the chief contender in this contest for fillies and mares at a mile on the turf. Trainer David Fawkes expected Daring Kathy to be forwardly placed in the Soaring Softly, and she wound up alone on the lead after First Illusion lost rider Roberto Alvarado at the start.

Jockey Tyler Gaffalione settled Daring Kathy into an easy rhythm on the front end, and the daughter of Wildcat Heir was chased by Frosty Friday while setting comfortable fractions of :24.64 and :48.13. After getting her cue approaching the stretch, Daring Kathy opened up and cruised home a 5 1/4-length winner. The final time for the Soaring Softly was 1:35.08. Longshot Pancake took second over E B Ryder. Frosty Friday, Lori’s Store and Summers Back completed the order of finish.

“She handled that really easily today,” Gaffalione said. “Dave (Fawkes) told me to just try and get her relaxed in front. She broke and I took a nice hold and she relaxed beautifully for me. Going into the first turn, she had her ears pricked, and when I asked her for run at the top of the lane it was all over.”

Fawkes, all smiles in the winner’s circle, admitted that his only worry was that the riderless First Illusion would impede Daring Kathy on the clubhouse turn.

“I did get concerned going into the (first) turn because it looked like (First Illusion) was going to shave us, but it was fine,” he explained. “Tyler did a great job of slowing her down. She was so comfortable the whole way around there. She listened to him, she rated for him.”

Daring Kathy, a graded stakes winner over 1 1/8 miles as a 3-year-old, will likely make her next start in the $100,000 Smart N Fancy Stakes over 5 1/2 furlongs at Saratoga.

“She’s versatile,” Fawkes added. “She’ll get to ride up with Sheer Drama.” 

Campaigned by breeders John Eaton and Steve Laymon, Daring Kathy has now earned $492,046. The Soaring Softly was her sixth stakes victory and eighth overall from 17 career starts.

Source: Gulfstream Park