title: Soaring Softly Stakes
text: # 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.
  
  ## History
  
  The race was inaugurated in 2014 as the Wait A While Stakes with a stakes purse of $100,000 after the American Oaks and duel Yellow Ribbon Stakes winner Wait A While.
  
  In 2018 the event was classified as Grade III.
  
  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.
  
  ## 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:
  
  * 3 - Wesley A. Ward (2014, 2018, 2022)
  
  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 |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | 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 | |
  | 2022 | Chardy Party (IRE) | Irad Ortiz Jr. | Wesley A. Ward | Stonestreet Farm | 7 furlongs | 1:21.47 | $100,000 | III | |
  | 2021 | Bye Bye | Eric Cancel | Christophe Clement | Bach Stables | 7 furlongs | 1:21.19 | $100,000 | III | |
  | 2020 | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held |
  | 2019 | Seek and Destroy | Kendrick Carmouche | Chad C. Brown | e Five Racing | 7 furlongs | 1:22.53 | $100,000 | III | |
  | 2018 | Nootka Sound | Dylan Davis | Wesley A. Ward | Hat Creek Racing | 7 furlongs | 1:24.59 | $98,000 | III | |
  | 2017 | Morticia | Jose Lezcano | George Arnold | G. Watts Humphrey Jr. | 7 furlongs | 1:19.93 | $100,000 | Listed | |
  | 2016 | Lightstream | Eric Cancel | Brian A. Lynch | Up Hill Stable & Head of Plains Partners | 7 furlongs | 1:20.54 | $100,000 | | |
  | Wait A While Stakes ||||||||||
  | 2015 | Celestine | Rajiv Maragh | William I. Mott | James A. Bryan Jr. | 7 furlongs | 1:21.06 | $98,000 | | |
  | 2014 | Richies Party Girl | John R. Velazquez | Wesley A. Ward | Richard Ravin and Wesley A. Ward | 7 furlongs | 1:21.84 | $98,000 | | |
  
  Legend:
  
   Dirt  Turf
  
  