Rain might not be blessed for Africa in Saturday's G3 Soaring Softly

by Brian Bohl

Trainer Chad Brown will enter a pair of formidable contenders seeking their first respective stakes wins in the Grade 3, $100,000 Soaring Softly for 3-year-old fillies on Saturday, Preakness Day, at Belmont Park.

While Brown will saddle Good Magic in the Preakness at Pimlico Race Course, he will also send out the French-bred Africa in the seven-furlong Soaring Softly on the Widener turf, who will be looking for her first win in three starts since arriving from Europe last fall. After running sixth in the Grade 3 Miss Grillo in her North American debut on October 1 at Belmont, the daughter of Dabirsim, a Group 1 turf winner in France, came off a six-month freshening to run second to Out of The Flames in the Mizdirection on April 15 at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Africa, the 3-1 favorite, drew post 8 in the nine-horse field with Joel Rosario in the irons.

"Africa ran a huge race from the outside post at Aqueduct last time and just barely missed winning," said Whit Beckman, assistant to Brown. "We're optimistic, we'll just see what this turf is like on Saturday."

Her stablemate, Brattata, ran third in her graded stakes debut last out, rallying to earn a piece of the purse in the Grade 3 Herecomesthebride on March 3 at Gulfstream Park. The More Than Ready filly has never finished out of the money in six career starts (1-3-2), finally breaking her maiden at fifth asking on February 18 at Gulfstream.

"Both fillies are doing well, we're just hoping the rain holds off," Beckman said. "The weather will dictate if we even run in the race if it's on dirt. It looks like a lot of rain coming tomorrow and the next day, but as of right now, both fillies are doing fantastic."

Owned by Peter Brant, Brattata is 1-1-1 in three career starts at less than a mile. The Kentucky bred, a 4-1 choice, will have the services of jockey Kendrick Carmouche from the outside post.

"On the one-turn, she seems to move well," Beckman said. 

Mentality and Nootka Sound, a pair of entries for trainer Wesley Ward, could also be scratched if the race is moved off the turf. Mentaility, who ran fourth in the Mizdirection after starting ninth in a 10-horse field, will have Eric Cancel ride from post 2.

Nootka Sound has won on dirt, breaking her maiden in her debut at 4 ½ furlongs in April 2017 at Keeneland. She was second in the Bridgetown against males on April 14 at the Big A, finishing just a half-length behind Black Stetson after being forwardly placed. Ridden by Dylan Davis, Nootka Sound, listed at 5-1, will break from post 3.

March X Press, who finished third in the Mizdirection, won a stakes sprint as a 2-year-old, capturing the Bolton Landing on August 16 at Saratoga. The Todd Pletcher trainee will depart from the rail with Tyler Gaffalione aboard. 

Elevenses, who posted a three-quarters of a length score in the Any Limit on March 24 at Gulfstream, has three wins in four starts and will be going for his third consecutive victory for trainer Jimmy Jerkens from post 5 in tandem with Junior Alvarado.

Two-time stakes winner Strategic Dreams, who won the Gin Talking and Ruthless before running fourth in the Cicada, returns to Belmont for the first time since running fifth in the Grade 1 Frizette on October 8 for trainer Rudy Rodriguez. The field's leading earner at $207,200 drew post 7 with Rajiv Maragh.

Mominou and Coffee Crush, both for trainer Jimmy Toner, will exit from posts 4 and 6, respectively.