Lady Scarlet gets her first graded stakes win in Miss Preakness Stakes
BALTIMORE - Lady Scarlet parlayed a perfect stalking trip into her first graded stakes victory, downing heavily favored Happy Soul Friday in Pimlico's Grade 3, $150,000 Miss Preakness Stakes for 3-year-old fillies going six furlongs.
Trained by Michael Maker for Paradise Farms and David Staudacher, Lady Scarlet broke well under Irad Ortiz, Jr. and was guided off the inside to track the leaders.
Happy Soul led after an opening quarter in a moderate 23.01 seconds, while pressured hard from the outside by Gimmick. Gimmick drew alongside Happy Soul after a half-mile in 45.58, but Ortiz had Lady Scarlet in full flight.
Lady Scarlet darted to the lead in midstretch with a three-wide bid and drew off to score by 3 3/4 lengths over Happy Soul, who re-rallied to pass Gimmick in the stretch for second.
Gimmick was another length back. Then came Verylittlecents, Saucy Lady T and La Casa d'Oro. Lady Scarlet returned $7.40 to win as the second choice in the betting. She covered the six furlongs in 1:10.07, and posted a Beyer Speed Figure of 87.
"She broke good and put me in a great position," said Ortiz Jr. "She did everything perfect."
Morning-line favorite Under the Stars and Sweet Solare scratched. Under the Stars remained in California after she spiked a temperature, according to trainer Sean McCarthy.
Lady Scarlet was claimed for $150,000 from her breeder, Popatop LLC, out of a maiden victory at Churchill Downs on Nov. 21 in her fourth start.
"She ran in maiden special weights at Saratoga," Maker said. "I figured the worst-case scenario was we had conditions and some small stakes. Maybe we could get out."
Lady Scarlet earned her first stakes victory when capturing Aqueduct's Cicada on March 19. She finished fourth, beaten 11 lengths by Matarera in the Grade 3 Beaumont on April 10 at Keeneland in her final start before the Miss Preakness.
Maker believes that Lady Scarlet's tactical speed is her best asset, but "that being said, if there's a race that's devoid of speed, she's done that, too."
Maker felt that the Beaumont's seven furlongs was too far for Lady Scarlet and that she is much better at three-quarters of a mile.
Happy Soul, came into the race following a sixth-place finish, beaten 25 lengths, in Keeneland's Grade 1 Ashland at 1 1/16 miles. She had won her previous three sprints by a combined 26 1/4 lengths.
Reached by phone at Keeneland, Happy Soul’s trainer, Wesley Ward, remarked that the first quarter of the race seemed slow, adding: I don't think she had any excuse. To me, she had every opportunity to win, and she didn't. She still ran a great race, but I would have liked to see her kick away down the lane."
- additional reporting by Jay Privman