Soi Phet Passes Million Mark With Second Bertrando Win
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Photo: BENOIT PHOTO
Soi Phet (inside) edges B Squared for the Bertrando Stakes win at Los Alamitos Race Course
Soi Phet passed the million-dollar mark in earnings July 4 at Los Alamitos Race Course, but to trainer Leonard Powell, the 10-year-old gelding has always been worth much more.
"I'm very proud of what he's been able to accomplish," Powell said Wednesday after Soi Phet took home his second edition of the $100,000 Bertrando Stakes. "There's been a lot of hours spent with him, and the fact he has responded the way he has is very satisfying.''
Soi Phet, who was bred in California by ARCHA Racing out of the Siberian Summer mare Summer Jersey, was claimed by Powell for $16,000 more than five years ago at Hollywood Park. Through seven seasons of racing, the son of Tizbud has picked up eight stakes scores, five of them at Los Al, including the inaugural running of the Bertrando in 2014. Owned by Benowitz Family Trust, Mathilde Powell, and Paul Viskovich, he has 59 starts under his girth, with a 15-7-6 record and earnings of $1,015,250.
"Financially (the million-dollar mark) means a lot, but, honestly, for the horse it doesn't mean anything, because to me he has always been worth a million dollars and more," Powell said.
Soi Phet's 2018 Bertrando score kept his connections guessing as a photo finish played out at the end of the mile test. Perfectly placed just behind the early leaders by jockey Alonso Quinonez, who rode him to a 47-1 upset victory in the May 20 Crystal Water Stakes on the turf at Santa Anita Park, Soi Phet found a seam between horses in deep stretch and was able to win the head bob from 2-1 favorite B Squared.
"He has such a big heart. I wasn't sure he had won," Powell said. "Even watching the replay, I wasn't sure."
"They had a little better kick than us on the turn, but that's a long stretch and he's an old pro who knows exactly what to do," Quinonez remarked. "He's not afraid to go through a hole and he just stuck his neck out and got it done.''
The 7-2 fourth choice in a field of eight, Soi Phet completed the mile in 1:35.53 and returned $9.60, $4, and $2.40. B Squared returned $3.60 and $2.60 while finishing three-quarters of a length in front of Grecian Fire, who paid $3.
This was the second consecutive photo Soi Phet edged from B Squared, after winning the Crystal Water over that rival by a head.