Souper Sensational Super Impressive in Victory Ride
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Photo: Coglianese Photos/Janet Garaguso
Souper Sensational is alone at the wire in the Victory Ride Stakes at Belmont Park
Live Oak Plantation's Souper Sensational rallied to an impressive score July 10 in the $150,000 Victory Ride Stakes (G3), a 6 1/2-furlong sprint for sophomore fillies at Belmont Park.
Trained by Hall of Famer Mark Casse and piloted by Flavien Prat, the daughter of Curlin was slowest away from the gate but quick when it mattered most, demonstrating a smart turn of foot late in the turn en route to a 3 1/4-length win.
Miss Brazil , with Jose Ortiz up, set a contested pace of :22.81 and :45.68 on the main track rated good, with Ova Charged on her flank and Red Ghost outside of that one as Souper Sensational settled in fifth.
Ova Charged loomed large but Souper Sensational, rallying wide outside of rivals, found her best foot through the turn and was 1 1/2 lengths in front at the stretch call. A game Ova Charged continued to find more, but there was no reeling in the runaway Souper Sensational, who stopped the clock in 1:15.79.
Prat, aboard Souper Sensational for the first time, said the talented chestnut provided an immediate response when asked.
"She was traveling well and when I got her in the clear, she really kicked on well," said Prat. "It didn't feel like we were going crazy fast. I thought she broke well. I bided my time and got off to a nice rhythm. In the end, she really responded."
Ova Charged, with Luis Saez up, completed the exacta by two lengths over Inject . Red Ghost, Miss Brazil, and the previously undefeated Australasia completed the order of finish. Bella Sofia and Shop Girl were scratched.
"It was a very nice trip. She broke beautifully," said Saez. "She never gave up and kept trying the whole way. We just got beat by a good one."
Souper Sensational banked $82,500 in victory to improve her earnings to $247,203, with a 3-1-1 record from seven starts. She returned $13.80 for a $2 win wager.
The victory marked the first graded stakes win for Souper Sensational, who turned back in distance in the Victory Ride off a trio of grade 2 efforts, finishing sixth in the 1 1/16-mile Rachel Alexandra Stakes Presented by Fasig-Tipton (G2) at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots in February, third in the 1 1/16-mile Twinspires.com Fair Grounds Oaks (G2) in March, and fourth in the seven-furlong Eight Belles Stakes Presented by Smithfield (G2) at Churchill Downs in April.
A $725,000 purchase by Live Oak Plantation in 2019 from Blake-Albina Thoroughbred Services' consignment to The Saratoga Sale, Fasig-Tipton's select sale of yearlings in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., Souper Sensational was bred in Kentucky by Newtown Anner Stud out of the Indian Charlie mare Kateri. She is the lone winner from three starters out of the mare, who has an unnamed Maclean's Music 2-year-old colt that is unraced, a yearling Curlin filly, and an American Pharoah filly foaled May 15.