By Joe Quillen
Soaring Softly Stakes
We stay in Queens for today’s QPW as we will look at the eighth race on their card, which is the Grade 3 Soaring Softly Stakes which will go 6 furlongs on the outer turf course. Post time for the three-year-old fillies is set for 4:43 pm Eastern time.
It appears that the turf will not be firm today as there is rain in the forecast. How much rain will determine what track management decides to do with this race. I think they will still run this race on the turf to keep the grade on this stakes race, but sprint races tear up the turf more than route races. I’m handicapping this race as on the turf for the Aqueduct feature.
If the race is taken off the turf, the horse to play is the 14 Value Area (2/1 morning line) as she will be at a distinct advantage running this race against those that prefer to turf. If this race is taken off the turf for whatever, reason, this is my play. She needs the lead, and should be able to do that from the far outside gate.
The 3 Baraye (9/2 ML) should be going for the lead from the inside here and will be playing catch me if you can. Some may argue a bounce here after that win at Keeneland last month, but did that three-month break actually help her grow up? Remember, these fillies are still very young.
If the turf is softer than what it was on Saturday, which was listed as good, then the play might be Kairyu (8/1 ML). She defeated the boys last summer in Ireland going this distance on soft ground. She debuted in June last year defeating a field of 16 fillies, which is something I like to see because of the amount of horse flesh that is out there.
The 9 Pipsy (4/1 ML) makes her North American debut here and is 2 for 3 lifetime and has won on a yielding turf course in Ireland last September. There are some questions here, but things do look promising for this filly.
The 7 Amidst Waves (5/1 ML) returns to the races after showing basically nothing in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint last fall at Santa Anita. She has shown the ability to close here, and once again like I said about the 3 Baraye, she might be a stronger and more mature filly here as she makes her a horse to consider seriously.
After Saturday’s win here at Aqueduct with Antiquarian winning the Peter Pan, I’m hoping I can get back-to-back wins at the Queens racetrack. Let’s go with Kairyu in an upset here as I imagine the turf will be good at best. I’ll call this 5-7-3-9 and my play is $20 to win on the 5.
Good luck everyone! Also, check my show out “Also Eligible” on Saturday mornings at 10 am Eastern/7 am Pacific as AJ Johnson and I discuss the big races, the latest news in horse racing and much more!