Soaring Softly Stakes

The Soaring Softly Stakes is a Grade III American Thoroughbred horse race for three years old fillies, over a distance of 7 furlongs on the turf held annually in May at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. The event currently carries a purse of $175,000.

Soaring Softly Stakes

Class	Grade III
Location	Belmont Park Elmont, New York, United States
Inaugurated	2014 (as Wait A While Stakes)
Race type	Thoroughbred - Flat racing - Turf
Website	nyra.com
Race information
Distance	7 furlongs
Surface	Turf
Track	Left-handed
Qualification	Fillies, three years old
Weight	123lbs. with allowances
Purse	$175,000 (since 2023)

History

The race was inaugurated in 2014 as the Wait A While Stakes^[1] with a stakes purse of $100,000^[2] after the American Oaks and duel Yellow Ribbon Stakes winner Wait A While.

In 2018 the event was classified as Grade III.^[2]

The race was renamed in 2016 to the Soaring Softly Stakes after the 1999 American Champion Female Turf Horse and inaugural Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf winner Soaring Softly.^[3]

In 2024 the event was moved to Aqueduct Racetrack due to infield tunnel and redevelopment work at Belmont Park.^[4] The distance of the event was decreased to six furlongs since the Aqueduct turf course does not hold events over the 7 furlong distance.

In 2025 the event was moved to Saratoga and due to the state of the turf track was moved and held on the dirt track over a distance of five-and-one-half furlongs.^[5]

Records

Speed record:

• 1:19:93 - Morticia (2017)

Margins:

• 4 lengths - Nootka Sound (2018)

Most wins by a jockey:

• 2 - Eric Cancel (2016, 2021)

Most wins by a trainer:

• 4 - Wesley A. Ward (2014, 2018, 2022, 2025)

Most wins by an owner:

• No owner has won this race more than once.

Winners

Year	Winner	Jockey	Trainer	Owner	Distance	Time	Purse	Grade	Ref
At Saratoga – Soaring Softly Stakes
2025	Saturday Flirt	Junior Alvarado	Wesley A. Ward	Mrs. Fitriani Hay	5+1⁄2 furlongs	1:04.00	$175,000	Listed	[6]
At Aqueduct
2024	Pipsy (IRE)	Flavien Prat	William Walden	Woodford Thoroughbreds	6 furlongs	1:09.41	$175,000	III	[7]
At Belmont Park
2023	Queen Picasso (GB)	Jose Ortiz	Christophe Clement	Sienna Farm, Michael E. Kisber, Peter Deutsch & The Elkstone Group	7 furlongs	1:21.24	$169,750	III	[8]
2022	Chardy Party (IRE)	Irad Ortiz Jr.	Wesley A. Ward	Stonestreet Farm	7 furlongs	1:21.47	$100,000	III	[9]
2021	Bye Bye	Eric Cancel	Christophe Clement	Bach Stables	7 furlongs	1:21.19	$100,000	III	[10]
2020	Race not held
2019	Seek and Destroy	Kendrick Carmouche	Chad C. Brown	e Five Racing	7 furlongs	1:22.53	$100,000	III	[11]
2018	Nootka Sound	Dylan Davis	Wesley A. Ward	Hat Creek Racing	7 furlongs	1:24.59	$98,000	III	[12]
2017	Morticia	Jose Lezcano	George Arnold	G. Watts Humphrey Jr.	7 furlongs	1:19.93	$100,000	Listed	[13]
2016	Lightstream	Eric Cancel	Brian A. Lynch	Up Hill Stable & Head of Plains Partners	7 furlongs	1:20.54	$100,000		[14]
Wait A While Stakes
2015	Celestine	Rajiv Maragh	William I. Mott	James A. Bryan Jr.	7 furlongs	1:21.06	$98,000		[15]
2014	Richies Party Girl	John R. Velazquez	Wesley A. Ward	Richard Ravin and Wesley A. Ward	7 furlongs	1:21.84	$98,000		[16]

Legend:
  Dirt   Turf