Soul of an Angel tipped herself as a potential Breeders’ Cup quality mare over the summer when nearly upsetting champion Idiomatic in the 1 1/16-mile Molly Pitcher (G3). On Saturday at Del Mar she proved just that, albeit as a pari-mutuel outsider in the $910,000 Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1) over a shorter trip of seven furlongs.
Sent off at more than 19-1, Soul of an Angel conceded the field a dozen lengths in the opening quarter-mile. Luckily for her, the pace was very fast, enabling her to cut into the deficit furlong by furlong.
Society and and Pleasant exchanged leads through the opening half-mile, with splits of :21.94 and :44.22 posted on the board. The pair were joined in upper stretch by Scylla, who loomed four wide turning for home, and by 2-1 favorite Ways and Means, who attempted to rally between rivals.
A ding-dong battle between the four, with bumping, ensued in the final furlong, with no one able to gain a significant edge. It didn’t matter, though, as Soul of an Angel took the overland route into contention and rallied in time to pull off the upset by a half-length under Drayden Van Dyke.
“I just tried to keep her as close as I could. Keep in as close contact as I could,” Van Dyke said. “I knew when I tipped her out with the way she was traveling, I had a good chance to win it. She kicked on for me.”
Soul of an Angel covered seven furlongs over a fast track in 1:21.59 and returned $41.60. Society fought back to regain second by a nose over rail-skimming Pleasant, with Scylla a half-length behind in fourth. A head behind her was Ways and Means, who was followed by One Magic Philly, Zeitlos, Vahva, and Frost At Dawn.
Soul of Angel was the first Breeders’ Cup winner for trainer Saffie Joseph Jr., who conditions the mare for the partnership of C2 Racing Stable, Agave Racing Stable, and Ken Reimer.
Although defeated often (sometimes decisively) this season in two-turn races like the Azeri (G2), Ogden Phipps (G1), and Personal Ensign (G1), Soul of Angel was 3-for-3 in one-turn stakes, which will enhance her credentials for champion female sprinter honors. In addition to the Filly & Mare Sprint, she also captured the one-mile Ruffian (G2) at Aqueduct and the seven-furlong Princess Rooney (G3) at Gulfstream.
In an unusually long career for a top-level performer, Soul of an Angel has now won six of 41 starts and has bankrolled nearly $1.2 million. She’s a five-year-old Kentucky-bred daughter of Atreides and Factor One, a The Factor half-sister to Champagne (G1) winner Homeboykris.
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