‘Seeking’ A Clark Repeat

[Wandering Eyes]

Charles Fipke homebred Seeking the Soul (Perfect Soul {Ire}) will look to become the first horse since Bob’s Dusty (Bold Commander) in 1977 and 1978 to go back-to-back in the premier race of the fall meeting at Churchill Downs, the GI Clark H.

A half-length too good for Good Samaritan (Harlan’s Holiday) and seven other rivals at odds of nearly 8-1 in last year’s race, the 5-year-old beat just one home in the GI Woodward S. at Saratoga Sept. 1, but put that effort behind him with a good-looking 1 1/4-length success in the GIII Ack Ack S. going this track’s one-turn mile Sept. 29. A 10-1 gamble in the GI Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile, Seeking the Soul lagged well behind early, was steadied at the top of the lane and closed off very well to finish second, beaten just under three lengths by City of Light (Quality Road) while some 2 1/2 lengths clear of Bravazo (Awesome Again). John Velazquez, who teamed up for the win last November, is back in town to ride.

Not quite the blue-collar story that was Discreet Lover (Repent) in 2018, Leofric (Candy Ride {Arg}) has nevertheless put together an outstanding campaign of his own. Purchased for $100,000 out of the 2016 Keeneland November sale, the gray has a record of 6-4-1-1 this term, with narrow victories in the GIII West Virginia Governor’s S. at Mountaineer and in the GII Fayette S. at Keeneland sandwiched around a battling third in the Woodward.

Prime Attraction (Unbridled’s Song) was no match for GI Breeders’ Cup Classic hero Accelerate (Lookin At Lucky) when third in the GI TVG Pacific Classic and fourth in the GI Awesome Again S. and ran hard every step of the Fayette, only to drop a head decision.

Bravazo, sixth in the GI Kentucky Derby, second in the GI Haskell Invitational S. and third in the GI Travers S., gets a positive jock switch to Joel Rosario for the Clark.

 

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