Carina Mia
I think we can all agree that this year’s three-year-old class is pretty diverse and talented, especially the fillies.
Carina Mia recently won the Grade I Acorn on the Belmont Stakes undercard. The race was a match-up of two very impressive racehorses: Cathryn Sophia and Carina Mia. In the end, the impressive winner was Carina Mia, showing a new dimension by coming from off the pace and winning easily.
On Saturday, we saw the return of the 2015 Champion Filly, Songbird, in the Grade II Summertime Oaks. Again, we all expected the undefeated filly to easily win over a short field and Songbird didn’t disappoint, taking Mike Smith on a relaxing ride, doing all the work on her own, without the jockey ever moving a hair.
I do have a problem with Songbird’s race, however: How can she be considered the best 3-year-old of either sex when she keeps beating up on subpar horses? I am in no way denigrating her talent and ability, I just want to compare these two fillies and show exactly why I believe Carina Mia, at this point, is the better filly.
| Carina Mia defeated: | Songbird defeated: | ||
| G1 Acorn | Off the Tracks (G3 winner) Cathryn Sophia (G1 winner, KY Oaks Champion) Go Maggie Go (G2 winner, Black Eyed Susan winner) Forever Darling (G2 winner) | G2 Summertime Oaks | Bellamentary (listed stakes winner) |
| G2 Eight Belles | Nickname (G1 Frizette at 2) Marquee Miss (listed stakes winner) Stageplay (listed stakes winner) | G1 Santa Anita Oaks | Mokat (G3 placed, 13th in KY Oaks) She’s a Warrior (maiden) |
| G2 Golden Road (age 2) | Dream Dance (MGSP, 8th in KY Oaks) Stageplay (listed stakes winner) | G3 Santa Ysabel | Land Over Sea (G2 winner, MGSP, 2nd in KY Oaks) Mo Kat (see above) Jade Princess (allowance winner) |
| G2 Las Virgenes | Land Over Sea She’s a Warrior Jade Princess | ||
| G1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies | Rachel’s Valentina (G1 winner) Dothraki Queen (G2 winner, G1 Placed) Nickname (G1 winner) Ma Can Do It (maiden) Tap To It (G1 placed) Land Over Sea | ||
| G1 Chandelier | Land Over Sea Right There (listed staked winner) | ||
| G1 Del Mar Debutante | Pretty N Cool (G2 winner) Land Over Sea |
I have nothing but respect for a horse that has does nothing but win, but I also look and see that Songbird is not winning races against true Grade I horses, minus a few select opponents that she faced in last year’s Breeders Cup Juvenile Fillies. I see that Songbird does things effortlessly; however, it is one thing to do it against allowance completion, but quite another to do it versus proven quality.
Carina Mia continually runs against graded stakes winners, and has defeated new competition in her last couple of starts. Even the 2016 Kentucky Oaks winner could not handle Carina Mia last out.
The only reason Carina Mia didn’t compete in the Kentucky Oaks was because she lacked enough points to make the field. So, instead, she toyed with a respectable field in the Grade II Eight Belles. When she met Cathryn Sophia in the Acorn Stakes, Carina Mia showed why she should have been in the Kentucky Oaks.
I do believe that Songbird is likely the better of the two around two turns, but until Songbird faces a challenge, how do we know the depth of her talent?
Whether the two meet up this year is yet to be seen, but it could be a possibility at Saratoga or in California for the Breeders’ Cup.
If they do, I will either be proven right, wrong, or completely surprised by a longshot.
Who knows? It is horse racing and anything can happen at any time! Until then, I am going to sit back and let Carina Mia do the talking for me.
Casey Laughter has been following horse racing since 2003, when Funny Cide stole her heart and took Louisville by storm. After that, Casey had succumbed to the horse racing bug — and has been unable to shake it after all these years.
Casey has visited tracks in Ohio, Kentucky and New York, covering events from a weekend at Keeneland to the defeat of a Triple Crown winner. As a student, Casey is hoping to break into the racing world with her photos and her writing.
She has a personal blog named A World Full of Furlongs and a photography portfolio on Flickr named Casey Laughter Photography. She also writes for another horse racing website named Lady and the Track.