Roanan Goddess wins return to the main track in Sunday’s Searching Stakes at Laurel Park. Maryland Jockey Club Photo.
Mens Grille Racing’s Roanan Goddess relished her return to the main track and came away with a victory in Sunday’s $96,000 Searching Stakes at Laurel Park.
Winless since taking her 2024 debut in the 6-furlong Xtra Heat on a sloppy track in late January at Laurel, Roanan Goddess cruised to a 6 ¼-length victory in the 1-mile Searching. The 3-year-old daughter of Leofric won in 1:39.53 for the 1-mile on the fast track under J.G. Torrealba. The Searching was originally carded for 1 1/16 miles on the grass but transferred to the main track because of rain.
Bred by Chad Carter, foaled at Rockridge Stud in Hudson and out of the winning Midnight Lute mare Night Madam, Roanan Goddess improved to 4-for-11 with the victory and picked up $60,000 to pad her bankroll to $218,240. A $30,000 purchase by C & C Stables at the 2022 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Eastern fall yearling sale, she later sold to Mens Grille Racing for $60,000 at last year’s Fasig-Tipton Midlantic May sale.
The 3-2 second choice in the field of four, Roanan Goddess raced fourth early as stakes winner and 6-5 favorite Call Another Play set moderate fractions of :25.16 and :50.22 through the opening half-mile. Madame Mischief pressured the leader with previously unbeaten Distorted d’Oro three wide in third and Torrealba and Roanan Goddess positioned between horses in fourth.
Roanan Goddess split horses to reach contention on the far turn and was tipped outside at the head of the stretch, surging past Call Another Play. Call Another Play nosed out Distorted d’Oro for second, with Madame Mischief fourth.
Trained by Hamilton Smith, Roanan Goddess started her career on the turf and won her second start going 5 1/2 furlongs in September at Colonial Downs. She raced exclusively on dirt through late February, winning an allowance-optional in October and the Xtra Heat in January. She earned a break after finishing third in the 7-furlong Wide Country Stakes in late February and returned to be sixth in the one-mile Hilltop May 17 on the turf at Pimlico Race Course. She stayed on grass for her start before the Searching and finished ninth in Laurel’s 5 1/2-furlong Stormy Blues Stakes June 16.
Roanan Goddess is the second foal out of Night Madam, who is also the dam of the eight-time winning New York-bred Alpha mare Madam Alpha. Night Madam is also the dam of an unraced West Virginia-bred 2-year-old full brother to Roanan Goddess named Snowy Night.
