Italian Soiree returns to form in Grade 3 surging to victory (Janet Garaguso)
NYRA Press Office
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Hit The Bid Racing Stable, Morplay Racing and Randall Hartley’s Italian Soiree surged up the inside for a thrilling second career victory in Friday’s Grade 3, $175,000 Coronation Cup, a 5 1/2-furlong Mellon turf sprint for sophomore fillies, at Saratoga Race Course.
Trained by John Terranova, the Uncle Mo bay graduated impressively in her 5 1/2-furlong debut over the Belmont at the Big A dirt last July and returning to that distance on turf in her seventh consecutive stakes outing proved to be successful.
“This is what we were waiting to try,” said Tonja Terranova, assistant trainer and wife to John. “We really wanted to do this for a little while. Her mom was a turf sprinter. She ran really well in the turf races last year as a 2-year-old, but we thought shortening her up would really be what she wanted to do.”
This year, Italian Soiree was off-the-board in the one-mile 40-yard Listed Suncoast on dirt in February at Tampa Bay Downs, the one-mile turf Listed Memories of Silver in April at Aqueduct Racetrack and the six-furlong main track Jersey Girl last out on June 8 here.
Piloted by Luis Saez, Italian Soiree exited post 2 sharply but settled in third position to the inside of Laurice as the top-two betting choices Make Haste and Cloe dueled through a sharp opening quarter-mile in 20.99 seconds on the good turf.
Italian Soiree saved ground in the turn to the inside of the Junior Alvarado-piloted Laurice as that pair crept up closer to the leaders, who saw Cloe take command as Make Haste tired through a half-mile in 44.07.
In the stretch, Cloe battled on the front end and Italian Soiree dove towards the new opening at the rail when Make Haste retreated, as Laurice launched her bid to the outside with Abientot rallying from the back.
“Today she broke from there and she put me in a good spot. I was a little worried at the top of stretch, I didn’t really have anywhere to go but we found a way and she gave me a good turn of foot,” said Saez. “When we had the clear run, she gave me a good kick.”
Italian Soiree passed Cloe late, as did Laurice and Abientot, but Saez’s ride made the difference as that was the order of finish in a final time of 1:02.21.
The final margin of victory was one length to Laurice, who edged Abientot by a neck for place honors with Cloe completing the superfecta. Gata Brazil and Make Haste rounded out the order of finish. Spirited Boss, and main track-only entrants You’ll Be Back, Twirling Beauty and Flat Out Time were scratched.
Tonja Terranova added that she was encouraged by Italian Soiree’s 3 1/4-length fourth in the Grade 1 Natalma going one-mile on turf in September at Woodbine. She exited that performance to run a close fifth in the 1 1/16-mile turf Grade 2 Jessamine in October at Keeneland.
“She went to Canada and ran really well and even at Keeneland against some of the top turf fillies in the country, but the distance was always the question with her,” said Terranova. “The owners had [Kentucky] Oaks vibes, as everyone does, and we tried to stretch her at Tampa and had a little bit of a tough trip. But this is obviously what she wants to do.”
A logical next race could be the Listed $150,000 Galway, a 5 1/2-furlong turf sprint for sophomore fillies, on Thursday, August 7 here.
Bred in Kentucky by Repole Stable, Italian Soiree, a full-sister to stakes-winner Be Better, is out of the Smart Strike mare Social Call – who is a half-sister to graded stakes-winner Old Time Hockey. She was a $600,000 purchase at the 2024 OBS March Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training.
Italian Soiree banked $96,250 in victory while improving her record to 8-2-1-0 and returning $31.20 for a $2 win bet.
Live racing resumes Saturday at Saratoga with a 12-race program that includes the Grade 1 Dunkin’ Diana [Race 11] and the Grade 2 Bowling Green [Race 8]. First post is 12:35 p.m. Eastern.
