Soviet Song


Soviet Song was a racehorse bred and owned by Elite Racing Club. She was foaled on 18 February 2000, sired by Marju out of Kalinka . She raced in England, Ireland and France during her career and she was the highest rated older filly in the World in 2004 and 2005.

Racing career

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. 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

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, 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

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

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

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

Six Year Old Season

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

Awards & Honours

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 2:15am 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.

Race Record

DateRacecourseDistanceRace StatusRacePositionWinning Distance JockeyRatingGoingOddsPrize Money
4 May 2003Newmarket8fGroup 11,000 Guineas4th to Russian Rhythm–Oscar Urbina114Good to Firm4/1£16,000
20 June 2003Royal Ascot8fGroup 1Coronation Stakes2nd to Russian Rhythm–Oscar Urbina114Good to Firm9/2£59,400
7 September 2003Longchamp8fGroup 1Prix du Moulin4th to Nebraska Tornado–Oscar Urbina–Good to Soft164/10£11,123
27 September 2003Ascot8fGroup 1QEII Stakes5th to Falbrav–Jamie Spencer117Good to Firm8/1£8,125

DateRacecourseDistanceRace StatusRacePositionWinning Distance JockeyRatingGoingOddsPrize Money
10 April 2004Kempton Park8fListedSnowdrop Fillies Stakes2nd to Beneventa–Johnny Murtagh114Good to Soft4/11F£6,600
24 April 2004Sandown Park8fGroup 2Betfred Mile3rd to Hurricane Alan–Johnny Murtagh114Good to Soft5/2F£11,000
22 May 2004Curragh8fGroup 2Ridgewood Pearl Stakes1st6Johnny Murtagh–Good to Firm11/10F£56,760.56
15 June 2004Royal Ascot8fGroup 1Queen Anne Stakes2nd to Refuse to Bend–Johnny Murtagh114Good to Firm6/1£55,000
6 July 2004Newmarket8fGroup 1Falmouth Stakes1st2½Johnny Murtagh114Good to Firm11/4£116,000
28 July 2004Goodwood8fGroup 1Sussex Stakes1stnkJohnny Murtagh115Good3/1£174,000
11 September 2004Leopardstown8fGroup 1Matron Stakes1st½Johnny Murtagh–Good to Firm8/13F£119,014.08
25 September 2004Ascot8fGroup 1QEII Stakes6th to Rakti–Johnny Murtagh120Good to Firm5/2F£3,750

DateRacecourseDistanceRace StatusRacePositionWinning Distance JockeyRatingGoingOddsPrize Money
15 June 2005Royal Ascot at York8fGroup 2Windsor Forest Stakes3rd to Peeress–Johnny Murtagh119Good to Firm5/2£14,300
5 July 2005Newmarket8fGroup 1Falmouth Stakes1st2½Johnny Murtagh119Good7/4F£116,000
27 July 2005Goodwood8fGroup 1Sussex Stakes2nd to Proclamation–Johnny Murtagh119Soft2/1F£66,000

DateRacecourseDistanceRace StatusRacePositionWinning Distance JockeyRatingGoingOddsPrize Money
20 May 2006Newbury8fGroup 1Lockinge Stakes4th to Peeress–Jamie Spencer119Soft7/2F£10,740
21 June 2006Royal Ascot8fGroup 2Windsor Forest Stakes1st2Jamie Spencer119Good to Firm11/8F£73,814
12 July 2006Newmarket8fGroup 1Falmouth Stakes6th to Rajeem–Jamie Spencer119Good to Firm6/5F£2,700
2 August 2006Goodwood8fGroup 1Sussex Stakes2nd to Court Masterpiece–Johnny Murtagh119Good to Firm11/2£68,272.19
27 August 2006Goodwood8fGroup 2Celebration Mile5th to Caradak–Jamie Spencer115Good11/2£2,690
30 September 2006Newmarket8fGroup 1Sun Chariot Stakes2nd to Spinning Queen–Oscar Urbina113Good to Soft9/2£43,040

Prize Money

Pedigree