Maryland-bred fillies prove fleet of foot

As numerous owners, trainers and breeders anxiously await the results of the voting for Maryland-bred divisional honors and horse of the year for 2015, a pair of Md-bred fillies displayed speed and stamina while capturing seven-furlong stakes at two different venues.

Last Saturday afternoon at Gulfstream Park, Cathryn Sophia (Joel Rosario) easily lived up to her role as the 1-9 favorite in the Grade II, $200,000 Forward Gal Stakes when she bided her time early and then overhauled the leaders in the lane en route to a six-length score in 1:22 flat.

A three-year-old daughter of Street Boss trained by John Servis, Cathryn Sophia has now won all three of her lifetime starts by a combined sum of 35 lengths and has banked $210,000 along the way. Cathryn Sophia is one of the finalists for champion Md-bred two-year-old filly of 2015, but she may be headed for considerably greater acclaim this season at age three.

That same afternoon at Laurel Park, Candida H (Julian Pimentel) benefited from patient handling early and then rallied for a two-length score in the $75,000 Conniver Stakes for Maryland-bred fillies and mares. The four-year-old daughter of Lemon Drop Kid trained by Michael Trombetta garnered her first stakes victory by covering the seven panels in 1:24 flat.

While Cathryn Sophia looks poised to tackle Grade I foes in the very near future and could be in line potentially for an Eclipse Award or perhaps Maryland-bred horse of the year honors, Candida H may have to settle for minor local spoils generally found well clear of the national spotlight.