Talented six-year-old Seeking The Soul, a close relative of Wilgerbosdrift’s exciting new stallion Fire Away, punched his ticket to the 2019 G1 Breeders’ Cup Classic when he won the G2 Stephen Foster Stakes Presented by GE Appliances at Churchill Downs on Saturday.
Off as the 9-2 third choice with John Velazquez, Seeking the Soul settled midpack a few lengths off the pace in a bunched 12-horse field as Tom’s d’Etat and Quip raced together through tepid fractions of. Seeking The Soul (by Perfect Soul) launched his bid on the far turn, advancing to be just behind the leaders turning for home.
The front-runners surged into the stretch with more in reserve and Quip forged his way clear of Tom’s d’Etat in the final sixteenth of a mile. Seeking the Soul kept plugging away on the far outside, closing determinedly to gain the upper hand in the shadow of the wire, and score a neck win in Saturday’s 1 1/8 mile feature.
Bred and owned by Charles Fipke (who also bred and owned both his sire and dam), the Dallas Stewart trained Seeking The Soul has now won seven of 27 starts with his latest win taking the entire’s earnings to $3 335 802.
Seeking The Soul has now a trio of graded wins to his name, with his previous triumphs including the 2017 G1 Clark Handicap.
The 2019 Stephen Foster winner was produced by G3 Iowa Oaks winner Seeking The Title –whose granddam, unbeaten champion and former Broodmare Of The Year, Personal Ensign also ranks as the granddam of Fire Away.
The latter, who shares his outstanding sire War Front with 2019 G1 Preakness Stakes winner War Of Will, won seven times including the G3 Dixie Stakes during a career which saw Fire Away bank over $600 000 in stakes.