BY BROCK SHERIDAN
Live Oak Plantation homebred Souper Quest has been labeled the 5-2 morning line favorite as the Florida-bred colt looks for his first stakes victory in Saturday’s Grade 3 Turf Monster at Parx Racing. A full field of 10 turf sprinters, 3-years-old and older, plus four on the also-eligible list, will go five furlongs in pursuit of the winner’s share of the $250,000 purse in the Turf Monster.
Souper Quest has been close in three other tries against black-type company, most recently when third in the $150,000 Harvey Pack at Saratoga Race Course on Sept. 2. He and jockey Jose Ortiz took a short lead in deep stretch of the five-and-a-half-furlong Harvey Pack, but were caught in the shadow of the wire and finished less than a length behind winner Big Invasion. In June, Souper Quest set the pace in the $108,000 Get Serious while sprinting five furlongs on the Monmouth Park turf, but settled for second behind winner Grooms All Bizness. He was also third in the 2023 Da Hoss sprinting on the Colonial Downs turf.
Trained by Mark Casse, Souper Quest’s most recent win came in an upper level, $80,000 optional claiming going five-and-a-half furlongs on the grass at Saratoga on July 28.
The reliable Souper Quest has finished in the top three in all nine of his career starts, winning four with three seconds and two thirds while banking $306,042.
The 4-year-old son of Munnings out of Lady of Victory, by War Front will again team up with jockey Jose Ortiz and they have post three.
The Christophe Clement-trained Senbei appears to present the main threat as the 7-2 morning line second choice.
The 5-year-old son of Candy Ride (Arg) exits a third-place finish in the $124,000 Select won by Smithwick’s Spice going five-and-a-half furlongs on the grass at Monmouth Park on Aug. 17 and defeated Turf Monster rival Fore Harp in a second condition, $62,500 optional claiming going six furlongs on the turf during the Belmont at Big A meet on July 6.
Senbei has won six of 16 career races with two seconds and a third with earnings of $530,000 for owners Reeves Thoroughbred Racing and Darlene Bilinski.
Irad Ortiz Jr. will ride from eight.
Should the Turf Monster come off the grass, Florida-bred Real Talk will draw in having entered under main-track-only conditions by trainer Jaime Ness.
Ness claimed the 6-year-old gelding for $25,000 out of a winning effort going six-and-a-half furlongs in July and has seen him finish second twice in two starts since. Most recently he was just a nose slower than winner Dr. Steve in a $40,000 claiming going six-and-a-half furlongs at Parx on Sept. 2.
Real Talk is by Gemologist out of Woodland Park, by Bernardini and was bred in Florida by Ocala Stud. He is a graduate of the Ocala Stud consignment at the 2020 Ocala Breeders’ Sales June Sale where Bell Racing took him for $50,000.
Paco Lopez is named to ride Real Talk and they are 7-2 in the program.
Others set for the Turf Monster are Smooth B and jockey Mychel Sanchez, Traders Luck with jockey Luis Rivera, Jean Valjean will be ridden by Julio Hernandez, Talented Man will have Andy Hernandez in the saddle, Jaime Rodriguez takes the call on Alogon, Fore Harp has Jose Lezcano riding, Eliseo Ruiz will be aboard Center Mid Maddie and Paco Lopez will be in the irons for Boat’s a Rockin. Foxtrotanna, Catty’s Uncle and Talkin Pharoah are on the also-eligible list.
Florida-breds have a rich history in the Turf Monster, winning six editions since 2005. Pure Sensation won four times starting in 2015 then winning three straight in 2017-’19. Worldwind Romance won in 2005 and Stormofthecentury took the 2013 Turf Monster.
