Madison Rae wins Soviet Problem Stakes

Joe Naiman

Village News Reporter

San Luis Rey Training Center filly and Ocean Breeze Ranch foal Madison Rae won the Sunday, Dec. 10, Soviet Problem Stakes at Los Alamitos Race Course.

Madison Rae, who is trained by Peter Miller, won the 1-mile dirt race for two-year-old California-bred fillies by half a length over second-place Loretta Lynn. She led throughout the race and had a winning time of 1 minute, 38 seconds, 52 tenths.

"She ran very well," Miller said.

The race was the fourth for Madison Rae, and she has been ridden by four different jockeys. Juan Hernandez rode her Sept. 9, at the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club, where she began her racing career with a third-place finish in a 5 1/2-furlong dirt race. She broke her maiden Oct. 8, with a win at Santa Anita Park; Madison Rae and jockey Antonio Fresu took the lead as they approached the stretch and won the six-furlong dirt race by a neck.

Flavien Prat was her jockey Nov. 3, when she was sixth in the seven-furlong Golden State Juvenile Fillies Stakes at Santa Anita. Edwin Maldonado was atop Madison Rae for the Soviet Problem Stakes.

A veterinarian scratch reduced the Soviet Problem Stakes field to five horses. Madison Rae had the inside post position. The risk of being stuck behind another horse on the rail was eliminated when Maldonado and Madison Rae broke out of the gate first.

"We wanted to be on the lead," Miller said.

The first quarter of a mile took Maldonado and Madison Rae 24.38 seconds. They had a one-length lead over Ocean Breeze foal Petit Filet, who was in second and stayed in that position until the approach to the stretch. Madison Rae and Maldonado needed 48.50 seconds for the race's first half of a mile, and at that point they led Petit Filet by half a length. That margin was unchanged 1:13.23 into the race when Maldonado and Madison Rae completed three-quarters of a mile.

Asada Fries was in second at the beginning of the stretch and was a length behind Madison Rae, who reached that point 1:25.53 after the starting gate was opened. Loretta Lynn took over second place during the stretch and finished half a length in front of Asada Fries, who was three lengths ahead of fourth-place Petit Filet.

"Great ride by Edwin," Miller said.

Pavel, who stands at Ocean Breeze Ranch, sired both Madison Rae and Petit Filet. Taffeta is Madison Rae's dam. The filly was foaled March 30, 2021.

The Soviet Problem Stakes had a $100,000 total purse. First place paid $60,000 to bring Madison Rae's career earnings to $109,940.

Joe Naiman can be reached by email at [email protected].