Daughter of Songbird, Soaring High Breaks Maiden

A day before Cherie DeVaux became the first female trainer to win the Kentucky Derby (G1), she saddled champion Songbird's daughter Soaring High to victory, breaking her maiden May 1 at Churchill Downs. In the 1 1/16 mile dirt race, Soaring High broke sharply and raced mid-pack under jockey Irad Ortiz Jr., stalking the pacesetter Phantom Blue, who posted fractions of :23.19, :47.20, 1:11.61, and 1:36.81. Down the backstretch, Soaring High continued to race comfortably. On the far turn, she picked up her competition and hit the stretch under a drive, but was still 2 lengths off the leader. She continued to progress and ran Phantom Blue down in the final sixteenth, scoring by a neck. She completed the race in a final time of 1:43.40 and paid $10.60 to win. Soaring High is the daughter of Curlin and out of the champion mare Songbird, who won the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1), along with eight other grade 1 victories in her career. In her final start as a 3-year-old, she was narrowly defeated by Beholder in the Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1), one of modern-day racing's most iconic moments. She is the dam of eight foals, with two winners among four who have raced, including Soaring High and Rumours Have It, who was a winner twice in her 4-year-old season. A homebred for Whisper Hill Farm, Soaring High broke her maiden on second asking, her first attempt at age 3, and earned a 90 Equibase Speed Figure and an 83 Beyer Speed Figure. Powershift gets his day in the sun at Churchill downs After a narrow loss in his first start to Kentucky Derby runner Emerging Market, and an off-the-board finish in the Tampa Bay Derby (G3), Powershift wheeled back in a maiden special weight May 2 at Churchill Downs and found himself victorious. Under jockey Irad Ortiz Jr., the Todd Pletcher trainee stalked the pace, which was set by longshot Time to Strike in :23.11, :47.03, and 1:11.40. Powershift continued to race under a hold down the backstretch, but began to press his competition as they moved on the turn. When the field hit the top of the stretch, he was 2 lengths in front and continued to hold that position under a drive to the wire. The final margin of victory was 2 3/4 lengths, and he completed the 1 1/16 miles in a final time of 1:41.86. The Constitution colt is owned by Repole Stables, who purchased him for $500,000 at the 2024 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. He is out of the Quiet American mare Free Flying Soul, who was graded stakes placed, including a third in the 2009 Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1). She has had 11 runners hit the track, and nine of them have won. Her most notable runner is Flying Connection, winner of the Sunland Park Oaks and a second-place finish in the Apple Blossom Stakes (G1). Powershift earned a 91 Equibase Speed Figure and a 95 Beyer Speed Figure.