WILD SONATA
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PERSONALITY
Sonya is a filly crossing two old and very successful lines, and is the culmination of a lot of blood, sweat, and tears from the Valkyrie staff. Originally slated for sale, this unique filly grabbed the hearts and minds of her owners and they instead decided to keep her. Sonya is a lovable horse, genuinely seeming interested in her handlers and visitors, quietly accepting their affection and returning it in kind. She's a caregiver, looking after others in the field, her grooms, the children that occasionally run around the farm... everyone. She's very aware of her body, and goes to great lengths to keep from stepping on or crowding humans. She's gentle on a lead, even when she's excited, and no one can every remember her bolting or trying to pull away. One might think that a filly this gentle would be useless as a racehorse, but by and large that's not the case. She's got a fire in her when she's out in the field, and a number of times when she was young she came in with abrasions, hematomas, and mild lamenesses - she gets overenthusiastic when she's playing and it's not rare for her to have mild injuries. It's made her incredibly tough, though, because just from watching her out there once you know she's not getting picked on. She enjoys the rough-and-tumble, so much that it makes you cringe to see her out there. But a horse is a horse, and she seems to be incredibly sturdy and resilient. Pain doesn't appear to deter her from anything she wants.
She's a funny horse in that her workouts are no example of her actual prowess. She's lazy in the mornings, unwilling to take things seriously and really needing to be gotten after in order to get any sort of speed out of her. She doesn't have any desire to chase in company, and she's a complete loaf on her own. But when race day comes along, it's really obvious that she knows the distance. She goes from being a relaxed, cuddling horse to being completely unable to stand still from the time she leaves her stall, prancing in place and sidling away from her handler if they stop walking. She's still not pushy, but her feet absolutely don't stop moving. She's so eager to do her job in those moments that as long as they can force her to keep in shape every other day, she's a firecracker on the track.
LEG TYPE: STRONG CLOSER
Sonya is definitely a 'come from the clouds' sort of horse, and for most of a race you won't even remember she's there if you don't know what to look out for. She's curious but easygoing entering the gate, and tends to lean one way or the other instead of standing square, causing her to break two or three steps slow. In many horses, you'd think that this would take her completely out of the race, but she's perfectly content to sit by herself at the very back of a field - even ten, fifteen lengths back. She doesn't panic, and neither does her jock. She waits easily around the first turn, and halfway through the second - long enough that you'd think that, perhaps, she wasn't going to fire after all. But like other showstoppers of turf, she finds an incredible kick after reserving her energy all race, digging deep into the grass to propel herself like a shot into the stretch. She often makes her run wide, three or four lanes out, but it doesn't seem to make a difference. With clear real estate in front of her, she practically flies toward the finish, whether she's challenged or not. She'll win by daylight just for fun, just for the thrill, and it's a magnificent thing to behold.
She's a funny horse in that her workouts are no example of her actual prowess. She's lazy in the mornings, unwilling to take things seriously and really needing to be gotten after in order to get any sort of speed out of her. She doesn't have any desire to chase in company, and she's a complete loaf on her own. But when race day comes along, it's really obvious that she knows the distance. She goes from being a relaxed, cuddling horse to being completely unable to stand still from the time she leaves her stall, prancing in place and sidling away from her handler if they stop walking. She's still not pushy, but her feet absolutely don't stop moving. She's so eager to do her job in those moments that as long as they can force her to keep in shape every other day, she's a firecracker on the track.
LEG TYPE: STRONG CLOSER
Sonya is definitely a 'come from the clouds' sort of horse, and for most of a race you won't even remember she's there if you don't know what to look out for. She's curious but easygoing entering the gate, and tends to lean one way or the other instead of standing square, causing her to break two or three steps slow. In many horses, you'd think that this would take her completely out of the race, but she's perfectly content to sit by herself at the very back of a field - even ten, fifteen lengths back. She doesn't panic, and neither does her jock. She waits easily around the first turn, and halfway through the second - long enough that you'd think that, perhaps, she wasn't going to fire after all. But like other showstoppers of turf, she finds an incredible kick after reserving her energy all race, digging deep into the grass to propel herself like a shot into the stretch. She often makes her run wide, three or four lanes out, but it doesn't seem to make a difference. With clear real estate in front of her, she practically flies toward the finish, whether she's challenged or not. She'll win by daylight just for fun, just for the thrill, and it's a magnificent thing to behold.
CURRENT SEASON
Record: 53-18-10-14 Ridden By: Vivien Charron 1st in TW Eclipse Stakes* - Jan Wk 4 [11F/T/4] [+8]
1st in GHF Sillenia Memorial Stakes* - Feb Wk 2 [12F/T/7] [+8] 2nd in TW Dubai World Marathon** - Jan Wk 2 [12F/S/6] [+9] 2nd in GHF Blue Eyed Andi Stakes* - Feb Wk 3 [12F/T/5] [+6] Total Points: 61 Starter Points [+5] | Raced Previously [+5] | Raced 3+ Seasons [+5]
Y21: W/P/S 10+ HOTY [+5] | Won HOTY [+5] | Won 5+ HOTY [+5] |
PAST PERFORMANCES
TWO YEAR OLD SEASON [Y19]
1st in TW Marylander Stakes* - Feb Wk 3 [12F/T]
1st in TW Fiat Filly Stakes* - Apr Wk 2 [10.5F/T]
1st in TW Firebird Marathon* - June Wk 2 [12F/T]
1st in TW Hasta La Vista* - Oct Wk 3 [11F/T]
2nd in GHF Burning Blaze Stakes* - Apr Wk 4 [10F/T]
2nd in BSD Lallybroch Fillies Stakes* - May Wk 2 [9F/T]
2nd in TW Louisiana Filly Futurity* - Sep Wk 3 [12F/T]
3rd in GHF January Juvenile Turf Faceoff - Jan Wk 2 [11F/T]
3rd in TW Sanford Stakes* - May Wk 4 [12F/T]
3rd in TW Gorgeous George Stakes* - Dec Wk 2 [10F/T]
3rd in BSD BC Juvenile Fillies Turf** - Dec Wk 4 [9F/T]
4th in TW Intrepid Racing Handicap* - Mar Wk 3 [11F/T]
4th in BSD Rival Millions Stakes* - Aug Wk 1 [11F/T]
4th in TW Ms. Striking Motion Stakes* - Nov Wk 3 [9F/T]
5th in The Wire Finish Cup Juvenile Turf* - Mar Wk 2 [9F/T]
7th in TW With Anticipation Stakes* - July Wk 4 [10F/T]
THREE YEAR OLD SEASON [Y20]
1st in BSD New Economy Oaks* - May Wk 2 [9F/T/4]
1st in TW Quixotic Stakes - Sep Wk 2 [8F/T/3]
1st in BSD Tapin Through Life Derby - Sep Wk 4 [12F/T/2]
1st in BSD Homebound Stakes - Oct Wk 2 [10F/T/3]
2nd in GHF Extraordinary Cup - Nov Wk 4 [8F/T/6]
2nd in BSD Renfro Stakes - Dec Wk 2 [11F/T/4]
3rd in GHF Green Fields Stakes* - Mar Wk 4 [9F/T/6]
3rd in BSD Mill Creek Stakes - July Wk 2 [11F/T/6]
3rd in GHF November Turf Stakes - Nov Wk 2 [11F/T/5]
4th in BSD Betterbetterbetter Fillies* - June Wk 1 [10F/T/5]
5th in TW All Along Stakes* - Feb Wk 2 [9.5F/T/5]
5th in GHF Oaks Stakes* - Apr Wk 2 [10F/T/5]
6th in BSD Phoenix Stakes* - Jan Wk 2 [9F/T/7]
6th in GHF Debutante Stakes (TTT)** - Apr Wk 4 [8F/T/6]
FOUR YEAR OLD SEASON [Y21]
1st in BSD Biology Stakes - Jan Wk 2 [11F/T/4] [+4]
1st in GHF Blue Eyed Andi Stakes* - Feb Wk 3 [12F/T/5] [+8]
1st in BSD Bella Donna Stakes* - Mar Wk 1 [11F/T/2] [+8]
1st in GHF Notis The Jewel Stakes* - June Wk 2 [10F/T/2]
1st in TW A Raving Beauty Stakes - Aug Wk 2 [11F/T/2] [+8]
1st in TW The Twilight Stakes** - Aug Wk 4 [11F/T/3] [+12]
1st in BSD Shine Again Distaff* - Sep Wk 2 [11F/T/2] [+8]
1st in TW Shamrock Rose Stakes* - Dec Wk 3 [10F/T/4] [+8]
2nd in TW Calgary Caper Stakes* - May Wk 2 [9F/T/3] [+6]
2nd in BSD True Confession Stakes* - June Wk 4 [12F/T/2]
2nd in TW The Flower Bowl* - Nov Wk 1 [11F/T/5] [+6]
3rd in GHF Sillenia Memorial Stakes* - Feb Wk 2 [12F/T/5]
3rd in GHF Willie Nillie Distaff* - Apr Wk 4 [10F/T/6] [+4]
3rd in TW Marion's Bird Stakes* - May Wk 4 [11F/T/3] [+4]
3rd in GHF The True Nut Memo. Stakes* - Oct Wk 1
3rd in TW Monte Man Marathon* - Oct Wk 3 [10.5F/T/3]
3rd in TW Grand Dame Handicap* - Nov Wk 3 [12F/T/4] [+4]
4th in TW Eclipse Stakes* - Jan Wk 4 [11F/T/6] [+2]
5th in GHF Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf Marathon** - Dec Wk 4
1st in BSD Biology Stakes - Jan Wk 2 [11F/T/4] [+4]
1st in GHF Blue Eyed Andi Stakes* - Feb Wk 3 [12F/T/5] [+8]
1st in BSD Bella Donna Stakes* - Mar Wk 1 [11F/T/2] [+8]
1st in GHF Notis The Jewel Stakes* - June Wk 2 [10F/T/2]
1st in TW A Raving Beauty Stakes - Aug Wk 2 [11F/T/2] [+8]
1st in TW The Twilight Stakes** - Aug Wk 4 [11F/T/3] [+12]
1st in BSD Shine Again Distaff* - Sep Wk 2 [11F/T/2] [+8]
1st in TW Shamrock Rose Stakes* - Dec Wk 3 [10F/T/4] [+8]
2nd in TW Calgary Caper Stakes* - May Wk 2 [9F/T/3] [+6]
2nd in BSD True Confession Stakes* - June Wk 4 [12F/T/2]
2nd in TW The Flower Bowl* - Nov Wk 1 [11F/T/5] [+6]
3rd in GHF Sillenia Memorial Stakes* - Feb Wk 2 [12F/T/5]
3rd in GHF Willie Nillie Distaff* - Apr Wk 4 [10F/T/6] [+4]
3rd in TW Marion's Bird Stakes* - May Wk 4 [11F/T/3] [+4]
3rd in GHF The True Nut Memo. Stakes* - Oct Wk 1
3rd in TW Monte Man Marathon* - Oct Wk 3 [10.5F/T/3]
3rd in TW Grand Dame Handicap* - Nov Wk 3 [12F/T/4] [+4]
4th in TW Eclipse Stakes* - Jan Wk 4 [11F/T/6] [+2]
5th in GHF Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf Marathon** - Dec Wk 4
PEDIGREE INFORMATION
[All For Glory x On To The Spotlight] - [Impossible Determination x Elegance]
Horse Pictured: Dream Marie | Buybacks: None | Other Reserves: None