Feel Glorious the one to beat in Soaring Softly

ELMONT, N.Y. – If Feel Glorious displays the same turn of foot going one turn as she has around two, the Great Britain-bred filly will prove tough to beat in Saturday’s Grade 3, $100,000 Soaring Softly Stakes for 3-year-old fillies going seven furlongs on turf at Belmont Park.

The Soaring Softly will go as race 11 on a 12-race card that begins at noon and will be wrapped up about 30 minutes before the Preakness from Pimlico goes to post.

Feel Glorious, trained by Christophe Clement for owners Dean Reeves and Tango Uniform Racing, has won both of her starts in the U.S., both times rallying from four to six lengths off what turned out to be similarly slow paces. Both races, an allowance at Gulfstream and the Memories of Silver Stakes at Aqueduct, were around two turns.

Clement said that in the Memories of Silver Stakes, jockey Eric Cancel “reeled her back” to keep her relaxed.

“She showed a great turn of foot,” he said. “We don’t have to be that far back. Wherever she’s comfortable, it’s fine.”

Cancel will be back aboard Feel Glorious on Saturday, breaking from post 2.

Eyeinthesky enters the Soaring Softly off a front-running victory in the Mizdirection Stakes going six furlongs at Aqueduct on April 14. Trainer Mark Casse believes Eyeinthesky has been an “underachiever” but is hopeful the Mizdirection was a breakthrough race for her.

“I think she’s better than she’s shown,” Casse said.

Stillwater Cove finished a clear second in the Limestone Turf Sprint going 5 1/2 furlongs at Keeneland in her 3-year-old debut last month. Last summer, she won the Bolton Landing at Saratoga.

Entirely, a stakes winner on turf at 2, makes her 3-year-old debut for trainer Jonathan Thomas in this spot. Entirely has not run since finishing third, beaten a half-length as the 3-2 favorite in the Grade 3 Matron going six furlongs on turf here last October.

“We’re looking for a place to kickstart her,” Thomas said. “She ran well here.”

KEY CONTENDERS

Feel Glorious, by Bated Breath
Beyers: 82-77

◗ Has displayed a strong turn of foot in winning a pair of U.S. starts including the Memories of Silver Stakes.

◗ Axana, the filly to whom she finished second in Germany last October, won a Group 3 in Germany last month.

Stillwater Cove, by Quality Road
Last 3 Beyers: 82-58-72

◗ Chased a fast pace while three wide then had to settle for second in the Limestone Turf Sprint going 5 1/2 furlongs at Keeneland last month.

◗ Shows a bullet five-furlong workout over the Churchill Downs turf in preparation for this.

Entirely, by Point of Entry
Last 3 Beyers: 66-61-63

◗ Though her Beyers are light, she may be the type who improves as she gets older.

◗ She breezed quite well in company last week with a Group 3-winning mare over the Belmont turf, going a half-mile in 47.89 seconds.