Chardy Party finds new gear when challenged in stretch of Soaring Softly Stakes

ELMONT, N.Y. - Irad Ortiz Jr. thought he had moved too soon on Chardy Party and it was going to cost him a victory in Saturday’s $100,000 Soaring Softly Stakes at Belmont Park.

After making the lead in mid-stretch, Ortiz wasn’t sure if he had enough horse to hold off the pursuers in the lane. But when Chardy Party felt an oncoming Breeze Easy to her outside, Ortiz said his filly found another gear and held Breeze Easy off to win the Soaring Softly by a neck. It was another neck back to Sail By in third.

The win was the second in as many starts for Chardy Party, a 3-year-old Irish-bred daughter of Dark Angel owned and bred by Stonestreet Stables and trained by Wesley Ward.

In her debut going 5 1/2 furlongs at Keeneland, Chardy Party broke poorly from the rail, was able to save all the ground before Ortiz tipped her off the fence and she came with a late run to win by a half-length.

Saturday, Chardy Party had the outside post in a field of nine after scratches. Chardy Party broke better and was within 4 1/2 lengths of the lead after Champagne Poetry ran a half-mile in 46.38 seconds. Ortiz felt he had to move early because he feared Joel Rosario and race favorite Derryname, who raced third early, could get the jump on him.

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“If I let [Rosario] get out of there I’m not going to catch him,” Ortiz said. “I asked her and I moved before I turned for home.”

Ortiz made a four-wide move at the quarter pole. In upper stretch, Sail By, who had been second early, took over from Champagne Poetry and was a stubborn customer when Chardy Party came to her. Ortiz said it was actually the outside pressure from Breeze Easy in the stretch that helped him win the race.

“I’m hitting her but she just stayed there,” Ortiz said. “When she felt that other horse, she rebroke so that was good. I thought I was done.”

Chardy Party covered the seven furlongs over firm ground in 1:21.47 and returned $6.50 to win as the second choice.

Breeze Easy, who had to alter course under Javier Castellano after Chardy Party went past her, outfinished Sail By for second. It was a half-length back to a wide-rallying Wonka who was followed, in order by Derrynane, Ouraika, Lost My Sock, Snow Loves a Fight, and Champagne Poetry.

Haugthy, the morning-line favorite, Wish You Well, Anador, and Baby Man, a main-track-only entrant, were scratched.

Christophe Clement trains both Breeze Easy, second at 10-1, and Derrynane, who finished fifth in an unsuccessful attempt at stretching out in distance.

Clement said Breeze Easy “did not have the smoothest trip that’s for sure, but she ran very well. Derrynane, it’s just a bit too far so we’ll go shorter.”