Hen Party sprouts wings to take second in G3 Soaring Softly

Hen Party unleashed an extraordinary late burst to grab second behind Slay The Day in the G3 Soaring Softly Stakes at Saratoga, USA, on Sunday, 7 June.  

The Eoin Harty-trained three-year-old had finished a spot behind the same filly when they filled the places in April’s G2 Mamzelle Stakes at Churchill Downs but did herself no favours this time with a sluggish break.  

Detached from the main field, Hen Party had upwards of six lengths to make up on her rivals turning in before flashing home up the inside rail, passing most of the field in a matter of strides in the straight.  

Hen Party reeled in Cadenza to take second inside the final furlong and hit the line powerfully under Flavien Prat, going down by two and three-quarter lengths behind the impressive winner. 

Flavien Prat said: “I just couldn’t get Hen Party involved in the race at all, the first part – she just didn’t want to be part of it. Finally, when we turned for home, she swapped leads and gave me a run. She barely ran on the backside and the bend, which was very strange, but then she made a good run.”