Fire Away relative’s Breeders Cup hopes


Wilgerbosdrift’s exciting potential sire Fire Away gained yet another boost to his stellar pedigree when his close relative Seeking The Soul captured the G3 Ack Ack Stakes at Churchill Downs on Saturday.


The five-year-old son of Perfect Soul, dispatched a 7-2 shot in the six-horse field, tracked in fourth early as Warrior’s Club broke on top and traded the lead with even-money favorite C Z Rocket. The early pace in the one-turn mile, :24.03 and :47.63, was soft

 

In the stretch Seeking the Soul found his way to the front after six furlongs in 1:11.45. He found the lead after seven-eighths in 1:23.04 and a sub :12 final eighth helped him separate himself from the pack. The entire put a length and a quarter between himself and runner up Nice Not Nice.

A top class athlete, Seeking The Soul had previously tasted G1 success when he won the 2017 G1 Clark Handicap over a field which included the G1 Jockey Club Gold Cup winners Hoppertunity and Diversify.

 

Winning trainer Dallas Stewart said after the Ack Ack, “He ran pretty fast, 1:35 for the mile. He had a little injury after the Pegasus, but he’s a really good horse. He’s a grade 1 winner and he could go to the Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1) or the Classic (G1); we’ll have to see.”

Now a six-time winner Seeking The Soul took his earnings to $1 462 722 with his Ack Ack success.

The bay is out of Seeking The Gold Iowa Oaks winning mare Seeking The Title whose granddam is unbeaten champion Personal Ensign (also granddam of Fire Away).

Fire Away, whose sire War Front also ranks as the sire of the first two home in the 2018 G1 Summer Stakes as well as Sunday’s G1 Underwood Stakes hero Homesman, has already seven victories to his name, with Fire Away’s past wins including the 2018 G3 Dixie Stakes.