Exotics Plays for the 2023 Soaring Softly Stakes

A total of six three-year-old fillies will travel seven furlongs on the Belmont Park outer turf course in Saturday’s $175,000 Soaring Softly S. (G3). Conditioner Christophe Clement has a pair of major players in the field and I will give each a big chance at success in the affair.

#4 Queen Picasso made good at first asking at Gulfstream Park on the lawn in March and jumps straight into the stakes ranks for her second assignment. By Kingman, the $285,000 purchase tracked a moderate pace and came out a half-length on top under the wire in a field that had a hint of quality to it. The bay has been training well in the interim and will improve on Saturday. Jose Ortiz opts to stick with the top pick.

Clement’s #2 Love Appeals was a debut winner in South Florida in February, and following a fourth-place finish in the Sanibel Island S. on that course, the daughter of Speightstown was a powerful allowance romper in a six-furlong grassy dash at Aqueduct most recently. This Moyglare Stud homebred is obviously quite talented with a nice combination of tactical speed and turn of foot that will make her tough with her best performance. Joel Rosario will be in the silks.

The contest also features a pair of nice prospects from the Chad Brown shedrow. #1 Lady Beth, a $390,000 two-year-old purchase, was much the best in an off-the-turf run on the Gulfstream synthetic at first asking and could be any kind going forward. The Hard Spun sophomore is bred to thrive on the green and she is working in forward fashion in anticipation of her stakes bow too. The Kentucky-bred will likely save ground early before being asked for her best beneath Flavien Prat.

#6 Senior Prank was two noses shy of being runner-up to Love Appeals in her turf debut last time out and is surely eligible to improve second time on the green. This Into Mischief filly is out of a mare who won two stakes races on the sod at one mile, and I expect her to evolve on the grass with experience going forward. The Spendthrift homebred will likely be doing her best inside the final furlong with Irad inheriting the mount.

Soaring Softly Exotics Wagers

• $7 exacta: 4 with 1,2,6 ($21)
• $5 trifecta: 2,4 with 2,4 with 1,6 ($20)
• $2 superfecta: key 4 with 1,2,6 ($12)
• $.40-cent superfecta box: 1,2,4,6 ($9.60)