Roanan Goddess, a 3-year-old daughter of Leofric bred by Chad Carter, wins her third stakes of 2024 in Saturday’s Safely Kept at Laurel Park. Jim McCue/Maryland Jockey Club Photo.
Mens Grille Racing’s Roanan Goddess returned from a short freshening and collected her third stakes victory – all in 2024 – in Saturday’s $100,000 Safely Kept Stakes at Laurel Park.
J. G. Torrealba rode the 3-year-old daughter of Leofric to a three-quarter-length win over Discreet Ops and five others in the 7-furlong Safely Kept. The 5-1 fifth choice, Roanan Goddess added the Safely Kept to her victory in the Xtra Heat Stakes in late January and the off-the-turf Searching Stakes in early August, both at Laurel for trainer Hamilton Smith.
Roanan Goddess came into the Safely Kept off more than two months on the shelf, after finishing a close third in the 6-furlong Weather Vane Stakes September 22 at Laurel. She finished well back in the $150,000 Camptown for Virginia-restricted runners August 31 at Colonial Downs prior to the Weather Vane.
“It was the last 3-year-old filly stake of the year, and we just waited for this,” Smith said. “She needed a little time between races and it worked out great. She ran well,” Smith said. “Beyond 7 furlongs might be a problem, but she’s a middle-distance horse. She’s doing awfully good.”
Dazzling Move, the 8-5 favorite for trainer Mike Trombetta, took the early initiative in the Safely Kept and opened up a 3 1/2-length advantage through the opening quarter-mile in :22.55. Dazzling Move still led by 2 lengths over Discreet Ops around the far turn and to the half in :45.32, with Kissedbyanangel, Sheilahs Warcloud and Roanan Goddess giving chase.
Discreet Ops shrugged off the favored pacesetter turning for home, while Roanan Goddess continued her run while wide into and through the upper stretch. Roanan Goddess snatched the lead inside the sixteenth pole and pulled away late over a stubborn Discreet Ops. Sheilahs Warcloud finished another 1 1/4 lengths back in third with Goodnightngodbless fourth and Dazzling Move fifth. Roanan Goddess won in 1:23.63 over the fast track.
“I told (Torrealba) … just get her out of there good and see where you are and ride your race. He did just that,” Smith said. “I thought she was little further back than I expected her to be but she came a running.”
Bred by Chad Carter, foaled at Rockridge Stud in Hudson and out of the winning Midnight Lute mare Night Madam, Roanan Goddess improved to 3-for-8 with three thirds this season. She also picked up $60,000 for winning the Safely Kept to pad her career bankroll to $289,240.
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 and a weanling Virginia-bred weanling colt by Capo Bastone named Night Call.
Roanan Goddess originally sold for $30,000 at the 2022 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Eastern fall yearling sale. Mens Grille Racing purchased the filly for $60,000 about eight months later at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic May sale. She’s won five of 14 starts overall.
