Seeking the Soul Proves Best in Ack Ack

Class tells as Charles Fipke's homebred Seeking the Soul, winner of last fall's Clark Handicap presented by Norton Healthcare (G1), dug deep in the stretch to win Churchill Downs' Ack Ack Stakes (G3) at a mile Sept. 29. The win, by 1 1/4 lengths over 22-1 longshot Nice Not Nice, went in 1:35.01.

The 7-2 shot in the six-horse field tracked in fourth early as Warrior's Club broke on top and traded the lead with even-money favorite C Z Rocket. The early pace in the one-turn mile, :24.03 and :47.63, was soft.

"The slow pace really helped us," said winning rider Brian Hernandez Jr. "He stayed well within himself. He's a grade 1 winner and he showed it tonight."

In the stretch Seeking the Soul found his way to the front after six furlongs in 1:11.45. He found the lead after seven-eighths in 1:23.04 and a sub :12 final eighth helped him separate himself from the pack. Giant Expectations, who broke slow, rallied for third while being beaten just a nose.

The winner is a son of Fipke's Perfect Soul  out of Seeking the Title, by Seeking the Gold. After his score in the Clark he ran fifth in the Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes (G1) won by Horse of the Year, Gun Runner . Seeking the Soul was off until July when he ran second, beaten a head, in the Michael G. Schaefer Memorial Stakes at Indiana Grand. Stepped back up to grade 1 company, he ran 13th in Saratoga's Woodward Stakes (G1) Sept. 1.

"He ran pretty fast, 1:35 for the mile," said trainer Dallas Stewart. "He had a little injury after the Pegasus, but he's a really good horse.

"It's all about the horse. He's a grade 1 winner and he could go to the Breeders' Cup Mile (G1) or the Classic (G1); we'll have to see."

In all, Seeking the Soul has won six of 21 starts with four seconds and five thirds. He was third in last year's Lukas Classic Stakes (G3) under the Twin Spires. 

The winner paid $9.20, $5.20, and $3.40. Nice Not Nice returned $12.60 and $4.80. Giant Expectations paid $4.40. The $2 exacta (6-5) paid $179.

Flatlined (No. 3) was scratched.

Video: Ack Ack S. (G3)