Soviet Song

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Soviet Song
Soviet Song in 2004
SireMarju
GrandsireLast Tycoon
DamKalinka
DamsireSoviet Star
SexMare
Foaled18 February 2000
CountryIreland
ColourBay
BreederElite Racing Club
OwnerElite Racing Club
TrainerJames Fanshawe
Record24:9-6-2
Earnings£1,168,370
Major wins
Fillies' Mile (2002)
Ridgewood Pearl Stakes (2004)
Falmouth Stakes (2004, 2005)
Sussex Stakes (2004)
Matron Stakes (2004)
Windsor Forest Stakes (2006)
Awards
Racehorse Owners Association/Racing Post Award for Outstanding Older Horse (2004)
BHB Champion Older Female Flat Horse (2004)
European Champion Older Horse (2004)
BHB Champion Older Female Flat Horse (2005)
Honours
Highest rated older filly in the World (2004)
Joint highest rated older filly in the World (2005)
Last updated on 12 March 2007

Soviet Song (18 February 2000 – 16 November 2015) was a racehorse bred and owned by Elite Racing Club. She was foaled on 18 February 2000, sired by Marju (IRE) out of Kalinka (IRE) (Soviet Star). She raced in England, Ireland and France during her career and she was the highest rated older filly in the World in 2004[1] and 2005.[2]

Racing career[edit]

Soviet Song was trained at Newmarket by James Fanshawe during her 24 race career and she was ridden by only three jockeys, Oscar Urbina, Johnny Murtagh and Jamie Spencer.

Out of her 24 races on the flat over five years, she won 9 races with win prize money of £789,630, also finishing second 6 times and third 2 times, her total prize money during her racing career was £1,168,370.[3] During her career she often had problems with her feet which resulted in her wearing stick-on horse shoes for some races. She won five Group One races altogether and never once finished out of the prize money.

Her stable name is Sovie and she is a half-sister to Penzance, who won the Triumph Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in 2005.

Two Year Old Season[edit]

She was ridden by Oscar Urbina for her two-year-old career in 2002 when she was unbeaten. Her first race as a two-year-old was on 17 July 2002 at Kempton Park Racecourse in the 6 furlong EBF Maiden Fillies' Stakes on good to firm ground. With a poor low draw and after missing the start she was slowly away, she dwelt in the rear but made good progress over 3f out. She led the race over 1f out, pressed inside the final furlong by the favourite Airwave (a future Group One winning horse), she ran on well to win by half a length at 6/1.

She stepped up in class for her next outing, the Listed Sweet Solera Stakes at Newmarket Racecourse. On 10 August 2002 she won the 7 furlong race by an impressive three lengths on very soft ground. Sent off at 4/1 second favourite, the race was run in a downpour and she was held up in the rear of the field, making headway over 1f out, she pulled right away inside the final furlong and quickened clear of the rest of the horses which included Summitville who would go on to be third in The Oaks the following season.

She ended the season by winning her first Group One race in the Fillies' Mile at Ascot. The race took place on 28 September 2002 on good to firm ground, and sent off the 11/10 favourite she was held up in touch, switching left and then making steady headway 2 furlongs out. She led inside the final furlong and won the one mile race comfortably, beating the next season's Epsom Oaks winner Casual Look into second place by one and a half lengths. After winning this race Soviet Song was installed as favourite for the 2003 1,000 Guineas classic race by bookmakers.

Three Year Old Season[edit]

She did not win as a three-year-old but ran some excellent races in defeat. On 4 May 2003 she ran – despite an interrupted preparation – in the first fillies-only Classic race of the season, the 1,000 Guineas at Newmarket. Ridden again by Oscar Urbina on good to firm ground, she travelled strongly in the race, being held up, she came through 2 furlongs out before her effort flattened out up the hill and she could not find any extra inside the final furlong. She was beaten into fourth place by the eventual winner Russian Rhythm, with the future Breeders' Cup Mile winner Six Perfections in second place together with the future Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf winner Intercontinental back in third place.

Four Year Old Season[edit]

2004 was her best season with four wins, three in Group One races including the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood against the colts. She also won the Falmouth Stakes at the Newmarket July meeting showing a brilliant turn of foot, with 2004's hitherto-unbeaten One Thousand Guineas winner Attraction in second place.

Five Year Old Season[edit]

Illness cut short her five-year-old season but she still won her second Group One Falmouth Stakes.

Six Year Old Season[edit]

Her last racing season during 2006 produced a win in the Group Two Windsor Forest Stakes at Ascot.

Awards and honours[edit]

Retirement[edit]

It was announced on 9 October 2006 that Soviet Song had run her last race and she was being retired to Kirtlington Stud in Oxfordshire to spearhead Elite Racing Club's highly successful breeding programme. Although she failed to get in foal in 2007 despite being covered by two different stallions, in 2008 she was scanned in foal to promising young stallion Oasis Dream. Her first foal, a colt, was born on 28 January 2009, and named Soviet Dream. Further attempts between 2009 and 2011 to get her in foal were unsuccessful and she was based in the United States for treatment before the 2012 breeding season. She foaled a filly by Speightstown on 6 February 2014. She was euthanised on 16 November 2015 at Oak Lodge Stud in Kentucky.[5]

Race record[edit]

2002 Season as a 2 Year Old
Date Racecourse Distance Race Status Race Position Winning Distance (lengths) Jockey Rating Going Odds Prize Money
17 July 2002 Kempton Park 6f EBF Maiden Fillies' Stakes 1st ½ Oscar Urbina Good to Firm 6/1 £4,446
10 August 2002 Newmarket 7f Listed Sweet Solera Stakes 1st 3 Oscar Urbina Soft 4/1 £13,595.20
28 September 2002 Ascot 8f Group 1 Fillies' Mile 1st Oscar Urbina Good to Firm 11/10F £116,000
2003 Season as a 3 Year Old
Date Racecourse Distance Race Status Race Position Winning Distance (lengths) Jockey Rating Going Odds Prize Money
4 May 2003 Newmarket 8f Group 1 1,000 Guineas 4th to Russian Rhythm Oscar Urbina 114 Good to Firm 4/1 £16,000
20 June 2003 Royal Ascot 8f Group 1 Coronation Stakes 2nd to Russian Rhythm Oscar Urbina 114 Good to Firm 9/2 £59,400
7 September 2003 Longchamp 8f Group 1 Prix du Moulin 4th to Nebraska Tornado Oscar Urbina Good to Soft 164/10 £11,123
27 September 2003 Ascot 8f Group 1 QEII Stakes 5th to Falbrav Jamie Spencer 117 Good to Firm 8/1 £8,125
2004 Season as a 4 Year Old
Date Racecourse Distance Race Status Race Position Winning Distance (lengths) Jockey Rating Going Odds Prize Money
10 April 2004 Kempton Park 8f Listed Snowdrop Fillies Stakes 2nd to Beneventa Johnny Murtagh 114 Good to Soft 4/11F £6,600
24 April 2004 Sandown Park 8f Group 2 Betfred Mile 3rd to Hurricane Alan Johnny Murtagh 114 Good to Soft 5/2F £11,000
22 May 2004 Curragh 8f Group 2 Ridgewood Pearl Stakes 1st 6 Johnny Murtagh Good to Firm 11/10F £56,760.56
15 June 2004 Royal Ascot 8f Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes 2nd to Refuse to Bend Johnny Murtagh 114 Good to Firm 6/1 £55,000
6 July 2004 Newmarket 8f Group 1 Falmouth Stakes 1st Johnny Murtagh 114 Good to Firm 11/4 £116,000
28 July 2004 Goodwood 8f Group 1 Sussex Stakes 1st nk Johnny Murtagh 115 Good 3/1 £174,000
11 September 2004 Leopardstown 8f Group 1 Matron Stakes 1st ½ Johnny Murtagh Good to Firm 8/13F £119,014.08
25 September 2004 Ascot 8f Group 1 QEII Stakes 6th to Rakti Johnny Murtagh 120 Good to Firm 5/2F £3,750
2005 Season as a 5 Year Old
Date Racecourse Distance Race Status Race Position Winning Distance (lengths) Jockey Rating Going Odds Prize Money
15 June 2005 Royal Ascot at York 8f Group 2 Windsor Forest Stakes 3rd to Peeress Johnny Murtagh 119 Good to Firm 5/2 £14,300
5 July 2005 Newmarket 8f Group 1 Falmouth Stakes 1st Johnny Murtagh 119 Good 7/4F £116,000
27 July 2005 Goodwood 8f Group 1 Sussex Stakes 2nd to Proclamation Johnny Murtagh 119 Soft 2/1F £66,000
2006 Season as a 6 Year Old
Date Racecourse Distance Race Status Race Position Winning Distance (lengths) Jockey Rating Going Odds Prize Money
20 May 2006 Newbury 8f Group 1 Lockinge Stakes 4th to Peeress Jamie Spencer 119 Soft 7/2F £10,740
21 June 2006 Royal Ascot 8f Group 2 Windsor Forest Stakes 1st 2 Jamie Spencer 119 Good to Firm 11/8F £73,814
12 July 2006 Newmarket 8f Group 1 Falmouth Stakes 6th to Rajeem Jamie Spencer 119 Good to Firm 6/5F £2,700
2 August 2006 Goodwood 8f Group 1 Sussex Stakes 2nd to Court Masterpiece Johnny Murtagh 119 Good to Firm 11/2 £68,272.19
27 August 2006 Goodwood 8f Group 2 Celebration Mile 5th to Caradak Jamie Spencer 115 Good 11/2 £2,690
30 September 2006 Newmarket 8f Group 1 Sun Chariot Stakes 2nd to Spinning Queen Oscar Urbina 113 Good to Soft 9/2 £43,040

Prize money[edit]

Prize money earned by season
Season Prize Money
2002 £134,041.20
2003 £94,648
2004 £542,124.64
2005 £196,300
2006 £201,256.19
Total Prize Money £1,168,370.03

Pedigree[edit]

Pedigree of Soviet Song
Sire
Marju 
Last Tycoon Try My Best Northern Dancer
Sex Appeal
Mill Princess Mill Reef
Irish Lass II
Flame of Tara Artaius Round Table
Stylish Pattern
Welsh Flame Welsh Pageant
Electric Flash
Dam
Kalinka
Soviet Star Nureyev  Northern Dancer
Special
Veruschka Venture
Marie D'Anjou
Tralthee Tromos Busted
Stilvi
Swalthee Sword Dancer
Amalthee

Notes[edit]

External links[edit]

References[edit]