Slay the Day's strategy no secret in Soaring Softly

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – In three wins since mid-November, Slay the Day has led or disputed the pace in sprints. The same style could be key to a potential second stakes win in Sunday’s Grade 3 Soaring Softly Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at 5 1/2 furlongs on turf at Saratoga.

“She’ll leave there running and you want to leave her where she’s comfortable,” trainer Brian Lynch said.

Slay the Day, who races for Flying Dutchmen Breeding and Racing, won the Grade 3 Limestone Stakes at 5 1/2 furlongs on turf at Keeneland on April 10 by racing within a half-length of the lead throughout. In her last start, the Grade 3 Mamzelle Stakes at 5 1/2 furlongs at Churchill Downs on April 30, Slay the Day was fourth early, within two lengths of the front, and finished second by a length to Cy Fair, who’s bound for a Group 1 stakes at Royal Ascot later this month.

“It was a good race at Churchill,” Lynch said of the Mamzelle.

In the $200,000 Soaring Softly, Slay the Day is expected to be forward.

“She’s going into this really well,” Lynch said. “I expect another big performance out of her.”

A winner of 3 of 6 starts, Slay the Day could face early pressure from Alpenglow and Should’ve, who have been part of the pace in recent starts but have yet to win a stakes.

The Soaring Softly Stakes drew a field of eight, but Niche, a winner of her last two starts at Laurel Park and Aqueduct, is entered to race on dirt only. Slay the Day drew post 4, outside of the stakes winners Cadenza and Hen Party.

Cadenza, trained by Brad Cox, won the Take the A Train Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at six furlongs on turf at Aqueduct on May 9, her third win in six starts. Cadenza, who has finished in the top three in five of her six starts, closed from fourth of eight to win by a half-length over Kingsolver, a capable stalker who is also part of the Soaring Softly field.

In her three wins, Cadenza has stalked the early pace. She is unbeaten in two starts on turf, beginning with a win in a maiden race at 5 1/2 furlongs here last August, her second start.

“She’s set up for a big run,” Cox said. “I think 5 1/2 [furlongs] is something she’ll like. She seems honest.”

Cadenza and Hen Party were first and second in an allowance race on the synthetic track at Turfway Park in February. Hen Party, who starts from the inside post, was third by 3 1/4 lengths in the Mamzelle, her first start in a stakes on turf. She was seventh early and was closest to the front at the finish after a wide rally.

“She’s very talented,” trainer Eoin Harty said. “She doesn’t have to improve a whole lot to be right there.”

Hen Party won the Serena’s Song Stakes at six furlongs on the synthetic track at Turfway Park on March 28, closing from fifth of eight to lead in the final furlong. Cadenza was second in that field.

The race has a foreign influence with the presence of Flowerhead from Britain. Trained by Newmarket-based Charlie Clover, Flowerhead has one win in nine starts and has placed in two stakes, including the Group 2 Queen Mary Stakes at Royal Ascot last June.

Flowerhead, who finished eighth and fifth in minor sprint stakes in Britain earlier this spring, is Clover’s first runner in the United States. Through Thursday, his stable had won 9 races from 38 starts this year in Britain. Flowerhead typically races from midfield and would be a surprise winner in the Soaring Softly.

The Soaring Softly Stakes is the eighth race on Sunday’s 11-race program, the final day of the Belmont at Saratoga racing week. Racing resumes at Aqueduct on Thursday.