BY BROCK SHERIDAN
Live Oak Stud homebred Souper Quest nearly walked out the starting gate but rushed up to snatch the lead with four-and-a-half furlongs to go then never looked back in producing an impressive six-and-a-quarter-length victory in the $95,000 Wolf Hill Stakes for 3-year-olds and older at Monmouth Park Saturday. Originally scheduled for five-and-a-half furlongs on the turf, the Wolf Hill was transferred to a sloppy main track at the same distance.
Jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. had Souper Quest a length-and-a-half clear of fellow Florida-bred Spirited Sol in second with I’m a Gambler (Ire) to his inside in third through a deceptive quarter mile in :22.65. Souper Quest opened up four lengths turning for home and widened that margin in the lane to finish in 1:05.25. I’m a Gambler (Ire) was second, nearly five lengths faster than Spirited Sol in third. Fierce and Strong was fourth. Alder, Alogon, Amoudi Bay, Card Trick, Kalahari Not Sorry and Nothing Better were all scratched.
Coming out of a second to Governor Sam in the $100,000 Get Serious Stakes going five furlongs on the grass at Monmouth on June 21, a race in which he was also finished second last year, Souper Quest was sent to the post as the heavy 2-5 favorite Saturday.
He returned $2.80 to win.
It was the third win in six starts this year for Souper Quest, who took an upper level, $62,500 optional claiming at Gulfstream Park on February 7 and an upper level, $100,000 optional claiming at Tampa Bay Downs on March 27, both at five furlongs on grass. He tired to finish seventh in the $105,000 Silks Run (Listed) at Gulfstream on March 7 and was fifth, but beaten less than two lengths, in the $75,000 Thirsty Fish overnight handicap on synthetic at Gulfstream two starts back on May 3.
Trained by Mark Casse, Souper Quest has now won seven with four seconds and three thirds and the $60,000 first prize pushed his lifetime earnings to $494,872 in 21 starts. The out-of-state victory in the non-graded stakes also earned Charlotte Weber’s Live Oak Stud as breeder a $4,000 Export Incentive to be paid by the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association.
Souper Quest is by Munnings out of Lady of Victory, by War Front. Lady of Victory produced four foals, including graded stakes-placed Victory Achieved, by Street Sense. Victory Achieved was recently second to Spirited Sol in the $99,500 Karl Boyes Stakes on synthetic at Presque Isle Downs on July 3.
Note: Souper Quest is the second Florida-bred winner of the Wolf Hill Stakes joining 2018-winner Imprimis.
Return to the July 18 issue of Wire to Wire
