Soul Driver guts out close win in Oceanside

Soul Driver eked out a nice win in the Oceanside (Benoit Photos)

Bloom Racing Stable LLC’s Soul Driver (Street Boss) ran down pacesetter
Forest Blue (Tale of Ekati) to take Thursday’s

Oceanside S. on the opening day card at Del Mar.

With jockey Mike Smith aboard, the Jeff Mullins trainee finished a mile on
the firm turf in 1:35.86 to secure his second straight stakes victory. Soul
Driver drew off to a 4 1/2-length score in the Singletary S. at the same
distance on Santa Anita Park’s turf last out on June 20 with Gary Stevens
aboard.

This time around, Stevens opted to ride Papacoolpapacool (Temple City), who
was sent off the 6-5 favorite and finished fifth.