My Miss Sophia debuts for Mott in Doubledogdare

My Miss Sophia captured the 2014 Gazelle in her third and then was runner-up in the Kentucky Oaks (David Alcosser/Adam Coglianese Photography) My Miss Sophia (Unbridled’s Song), whose fast rise in the three-year-old filly ranks last season preceded a downturn that was just as quick, will get a fresh start Friday when she faces eight fillies and mares in the $100,000 Doubledogdare (G3) at Keeneland. A maiden first-time starter as late as February 9 last year, My Miss Sophia finished second in her 5 1/2-furlong debut and then stretched out to a mile the following month to take her maiden by 11 lengths. That was quickly followed by a 7 1/4-length triumph in the Gazelle (G2) at Aqueduct, and a clear second-place finish to champion Untapable (Tapit) in the Kentucky Oaks (G1). Trained at the time by Todd Pletcher, My Miss Sophia was not competitive in either of her final two starts of the year, finishing seventh in the Acorn (G1) at Belmont Park and fifth in the $76,000 Lady’s Secret at Monmouth Park in September. She was the odds-on favorite in both outings.

Now with Hall of Famer Bill Mott, My Miss Sophia enters the 1 1/16-mile
Doubledogdare with a string of strong works, including five straight bullets, at
Payson Park in Florida. Joel Rosario rides.

One of the more accomplished mares in the field is Deceptive Vision (A.P.
Indy), a Sam-Son homebred who found her calling on turf last term. Peaking in
September with a 2 1/2-length win in the Canadian (Can-G2) at Woodbine, she also
placed in the E.P. Taylor (Can-G1), Dance Smartly (Can-G2) and Nassau (Can-G2)
over the same course.

Deceptive Vision owns two main track wins at Fair Grounds from early in her
career, and has never finished out of the money in eight career starts.

The only other graded stakes winner in the lineup is Tiz Windy (Tiznow), who
landed the Indiana Oaks (G2) last October for Carl Nafzger. The four-year-old
has not been as productive in other stakes attempts, finishing fifth in the
Falls City H. (G2) and March 21 Royal Delta (G2) in the interim.

Also of note in the Doubledogdare is Blue Violet (Curlin), who has placed in
one of three starts since taking the aforementioned Lady’s Secret at Monmouth
over My Miss Sophia, and Lunar Surge (Malibu Moon), who followed a win in the
$100,000 Maryland Racing Media at Laurel in mid-February with an allowance
second over this track and distance April 4.

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