Seeking the Soul Looking To Make History in Pacific Classic

[Wandering Eyes]

In the 28 previous runnings of the GI TVG Pacific Classic, just two horses have raided from the Eastern half of the country and emerged victorious–Go Between (Thunder Gulch) in 2008 and Dullahan (Even the Score) in 2012–and both of those were contested over the Polytrack. An East Coast quartet, led by GII Stephen Foster S. hero Seeking the Soul (Perfect Soul {Ire}) will try to right that wrong in the $1-million centerpiece of the Del Mar meeting, which carries with it a fees-paid berth into the GI Breeders’ Cup Classic at Santa Anita Nov. 2.

A homebred for Charles Fipke, Seeking the Soul made the 2017 GI Clark H. his first black-type victory and added last year’s GIII Ack Ack S. before finishing runner-up to City of Light (Quality Road) in the GI Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile and third in defense of his Clark title to close the season. Second to City of Light in this year’s GI Pegasus World Cup, he was well-beaten in the G1 Dubai World Cup, rounded out the triple underneath divisional heavy ‘TDN Rising Star’ McKinzie (Street Sense) in the May 3 GII Alysheba S. at Churchill and was up late to annex the Foster last time out.

‘TDN Rising Star’ Quip (Distorted Humor) atoned from a bland third-place effort in the GIII Hal’s Hope S. Feb. 23 with a very game neck success in the GII Oaklawn H. in the Hot Springs slop Apr. 13. Part of a moderate tempo in the Stephen Foster, the bay carried the lead into the final furlong, but just failed to resist the late surge of Seeking the Soul.

The other two shippers are Tenfold (Curlin), two-back winner of the GIII Pimlico Special S. over Saturday’s trip, and War Story (Northern Afleet), upset winner of the GIII Monmouth Cup at the Jersey Shore July 20.

Campaign (Curlin) looks to give Hronis Racing and trainer John Sadler a second straight Pacific Classic win following on the towering tally recorded last year by champion Accelerate (Lookin At Lucky), who defeated Pavel (Creative Cause) by 12 1/2 lengths. Fourth to ‘Rising Star’ Gift Box (Twirling Candy) in the GI Santa Anita H. at this distance in April, the well-bred bay has excelled over further, winning the GIII Tokyo City Cup and GIII Cougar II H. at the mile and a half. The pace of Saturday’s heat feels genuine enough and Campaign should be coming hard through the final furlong.

 

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