Chardy Party Stays Unbeaten for Ward in Soaring Softly

There were several noticeable differences in Chardy Party 's two career starts.

In her debut, she broke from the rail in a field of 12. In her second start, she departed from the outside post in a field of nine.

In that first start, the 3-year-old daughter of Dark Angel  broke slowly and was ninth in the early stages. Next time out, she got away from the gate cleanly and coolly stalked in fifth for jockey Irad Ortiz Jr.

She raced greenly in the stretch first time out, only to show a nice measure of determination in the final yards of start No. 2.

Yet there was one highly important constant in the two races.

She won both of them.

After winning at first asking in a maiden 5 1/2-furlong turf race at Keeneland, Stonestreet Stable's Chardy Party stepped up into graded stakes company at seven furlongs and responded with a neck victory over Breeze Easy  in the grassy $100,000 Soaring Softly Stakes (G3T) for 3-year-old fillies May 28 at Belmont Park.

"She's a nice filly," said trainer Wesley Ward. "She has a big, long stride, so I wasn't that concerned with the seven-eighths distance."

Now 2-for-2, the lone foal from the Pastoral Pursuits  mare Spiritual Lady was purchased for $149,402 from the consignment of her breeder, Yeomanstown Stud, at the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale by Stonestreet's bloodstock agent Ben McElroy, who earned kudos from Ward.

"Ben McElroy has been buying these fillies that I train (for owner Barbara Banke) and he's done a phenomenal job," Ward said. "I have to take my hat off to him, because he's putting a lot of really nice horses in my barn."

As for what's next for the unbeaten gray filly, Ward would prefer waiting for the July 22 Lake George Stakes (G3T) at Saratoga Race Course, but a trip overseas to Royal Ascot has not been ruled out.

"I'll talk with Ben and the rest of the Stonestreet team, but I believe the Lake George is a perfect spot on the calendar for her. I believe if she can handle seven-eighths at Belmont she can handle a two-turn mile at Saratoga," Ward said. "We did discuss Royal Ascot and the (June 17) Commonwealth Cup (G1) before this. Barbara has four horses going over to Ascot and she won the Commonwealth last year with Campanelle , so it's a possibility, but it's coming up quickly. It's a quick turnaround for a big ship."

Chardy Party was 3 1/2 lengths behind the pacesetting Champagne Party  in the Soaring Softly after an opening quarter-mile in :22.88. As Sail By  grabbed the lead leaving quarter pole, Ortiz sat chilly until the turn when he launched a four-wide move that carried his filly to a short lead in mid-stretch.

While holding off a game Sail On inside of her, Chardy Party faced a late challenge from Breeze Easy, who was making her United States debut for trainer Christophe Clement. As the daughter of Bated Breath  slowly cut into the margin, the wire popped up in time for Chardy Party, who prevailed by a neck in 1:21.47 on firm turf and paid $6.50 to win as the 2-1 second choice.

"She ran very straightforward today and she looks like she's improving a little," Ortiz said. "Her mind is getting better. Last time, she was changing leads in and out. It looks like she's getting there."

Breeze Easy, owned by R. A. Hill Stable and Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, was second by a neck over Treadway Racing Stable's Sail By, a grade 2-winning daughter of Astern   trained by Leah Gyarmati.

Derrynane  (Quality Road  ), the 6-5 favorite trained by Clement, bobbled at the start and wound up fifth in the field of nine.

Video: Soaring Softly S. (G3T)