Daughter of Songbird, Soaring High Breaks Maiden

A day before Cherie DeVaux became the first female trainer to win the Kentucky Derby (G1), she saddled champion Songbird 's daughter Soaring High  to victory, breaking her maiden May 1 at Churchill Downs.

In the 1 1/16 mile dirt race, Soaring High broke sharply and raced mid-pack under jockey Irad Ortiz Jr., stalking the pacesetter Phantom Blue , who posted fractions of :23.19, :47.20, 1:11.61, and 1:36.81. Down the backstretch, Soaring High continued to race comfortably. On the far turn, she picked up her competition and hit the stretch under a drive, but was still 2 lengths off the leader. She continued to progress and ran Phantom Blue down in the final sixteenth, scoring by a neck. She completed the race in a final time of 1:43.40 and paid $10.60 to win. 

Soaring High is the daughter of Curlin   and out of the champion mare Songbird, who won the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1), along with eight other grade 1 victories in her career. In her final start as a 3-year-old, she was narrowly defeated by Beholder  in the Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1), one of modern-day racing's most iconic moments. She is the dam of eight foals, with two winners among four who have raced, including Soaring High and Rumours Have It , who was a winner twice in her 4-year-old season. 

A homebred for Whisper Hill Farm, Soaring High broke her maiden on second asking, her first attempt at age 3, and earned a 90 Equibase Speed Figure and an 83 Beyer Speed Figure. 

Powershift gets his day in the sun at Churchill downs

After a narrow loss in his first start to Kentucky Derby runner Emerging Market , and an off-the-board finish in the Tampa Bay Derby (G3), Powershift  wheeled back in a maiden special weight May 2 at Churchill Downs and found himself victorious. 

Under jockey Irad Ortiz Jr., the Todd Pletcher trainee stalked the pace, which was set by longshot Time to Strike in :23.11, :47.03, and 1:11.40. Powershift continued to race under a hold down the backstretch, but began to press his competition as they moved on the turn. When the field hit the top of the stretch, he was 2 lengths in front and continued to hold that position under a drive to the wire. The final margin of victory was 2 3/4 lengths, and he completed the 1 1/16 miles in a final time of 1:41.86.

The Constitution   colt is owned by Repole Stables, who purchased him for $500,000 at the 2024 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. He is out of the Quiet American mare Free Flying Soul , who was graded stakes placed, including a third in the 2009 Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1). She has had 11 runners hit the track, and nine of them have won. Her most notable runner is Flying Connection , winner of the Sunland Park Oaks and a second-place finish in the Apple Blossom Stakes (G1).

Powershift earned a 91 Equibase Speed Figure and a 95 Beyer Speed Figure.