Flying Dutchmen's Slay the Day romped home a front-running victress of the GIII Soaring Softly Stakes at Saratoga Sunday. The 3-5 favorite, away alertly, battled through an opening quarter of :21.33 and was clear as the half went up in :44.05. Cadenza attempted to launch a challenge in upper stretch, but Slay the Day kept finding more and bound home an easy winner.
“She's been in good form and trained well going into it,” said winning trainer Brian Lynch. “She ran awesome, no doubt about it, but we'd have been disappointed if she didn't show up because she was in such good order going into the race.”
Slay the Day, winner of her turf debut at Gulfstream in March, won the 5 1/2-furlong GIII Limestone Stakes over the Keeneland lawn Apr. 10 and found only GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint winner Cy Fair (Not This Time) too good when second in the GIII Mamzelle Stakes last time out.
“As she's matured into racing, she's got tactical where she can switch on and switch off,” Lynch said. “She doesn't seem, when she gets hooked, that she gets aggressive or wants to go head-and-head. It seemed like Johnny [Velazquez] could take her back a bit today and then go forward whenever he wanted to. It's starting to look like she's getting a bit push-button, which is fantastic as we move forward.”
Pedigree Notes:
Mind Out, purchased by Pin Oak Stud for $1.2 million at the 2021 Keeneland November sale, is a half-sister to champion sprinter Miss Mischief (Into Mischief) and to the dam of multiple Grade I-placed Rowayton (Into Mischief). Slay the Day is the mare's first foal. She also has a 2-year-old colt by Curlin and a yearling filly by Gun Runner. Her 2026 foal by Nyquist died.
Slay the Day was bred by the Bernhard family's Pin Oak Stud, while the operation's colors were carried to victory by Pass the Hat (Collected) in the GIII Poker Stakes earlier on the card.
Sunday, Saratoga
SOARING SOFTLY S.-GIII, $200,000, Saratoga, 6-7, 3yo, f, 5 1/2fT, 1:01.02, fm.
1–SLAY THE DAY, 124, f, 3, by Into Mischief
1st Dam: Mind Out (MSP, $102,840), by Tapit
2nd Dam: Kid Majic, by Lemon Drop Kid
3rd Dam: Call Her Magic, by Caller I. D.
($170,000 Ylg '24 KEESEP). O-Flying Dutchmen; B-Pin Oak Stud,
LLC (KY); T-Brian A. Lynch; J-John R. Velazquez. $110,000.
Lifetime Record: 7-4-2-0, $505,238. Werk Nick Rating: A+.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree or
the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Hen Party, 124, f, 3, Into Mischief–Fair Maiden, by Street
Boss. O-Godolphin, LLC; B-Godolphin (KY); T-Eoin G. Harty.
$40,000.
3–Cadenza, 124, f, 3, Charlatan–Maddie's Odyssey, by Kitten's
Joy. 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($385,000 Ylg '24 KEESEP).
O-Stonestreet Stables LLC; B-KMN Racing, LLC (KY); T-Brad H.
Cox. $24,000.
Margins: 2 3/4, HF, 2HF. Odds: 0.68, 4.25, 5.50.
Also Ran: Flowerhead (Ire), Kingsolver, Should've, Alpenglow. Scratched: Niche. Click for the Equibase.com chart or the TJCIS.com PPshttp://www.equineline.com/tdn/pedigree.cfm?tk=PIM&cy=USA&rd=05/20/2017&rn=13&de=D&ref=9698686&pid=4127. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
SLAY THE DAY lives up to the name!
She wins the Grade 3 Soaring Softly Stakes with @ljlmvel aboard for trainer @BLynchRacing. pic.twitter.com/14pomPd4Zf
— NYRA (🗽) (@TheNYRA) June 7, 2026
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