Souper Forces arrives in time in Listed Artie Schiller
Live Oak Plantation’s Florida homebred Souper Forces won a stretch-drive duel with Intellect to capture Friday’s Listed $175,000 Artie Schiller, a one-mile Widener turf test for 3-year-olds and up, at Belmont Park.
Trained by Michael Trombetta and piloted by Antonio Fresu, the 4-year-old Laoban gelding has now won 5-of-7 starts, including three straight last year to start his career topped by a win in the Showing Up in November at Gulfstream Park. He entered the Artie Schiller from a wide-rallying 3 1/2-length win in the Red Bank over good going on September 6 at Monmouth Park.
In Friday’s test, the first three finishers were at the back of the pack as the field straightened for home before the Manny Franco-piloted Intellect pushed his way out for running room causing Clever Mischief to be pinched back by the wide-charging Souper Forces. Capitol Hill found his seam with clear sailing up the rail for third. A stewards’ inquiry into the bold move by Intellect at the top of the lane resulted in no change to the order of finish.
Fresu, who guided Egyptian Mau to an upset score in Thursday’s Grade 3 Belmont Turf Sprint here, was aboard Souper Forces for the first time in the afternoon.
“I watched all his races and that’s the way he ran. He gave me a great feeling since we left the gate,” Fresu said. “The horse was traveling beautifully on the bridle. I was just looking around to make sure I was clear to move. From the three-eighths, he started getting into the bridle a little bit more, so that’s when I put him on the outside. I showed him the daylight, and you see he carried me there, then he was really fighting hard to the wire. At some point, I thought the other horse [Intellect] put his head in front of me, but he came back, he was very game.”
The Ricardo Santana, Jr.-piloted multiple stakes-placed New York-bred Sounds Like a Plan won an early skirmish for the lead to mark the opening quarter-mile in 23.69 seconds with 73-1 longshot state-bred Itsallcomintogetha, a New York-sired stakes winner, stalking on the outside from second position under Ruben Silvera.
Sounds Like a Plan led the field into the turn with Itsallcomintogetha still pressing, Air Recruit ranging into contention and Silent Heart looming as a contender through a half-mile in 46.60. The pacesetter was swarmed by rivals at top of lane as Silent Heart showed good energy, but the main dangers were flying from the back of the pack with Souper Forces out-finishing Intellect to win by a neck in a final time of 1:33.02.
Chris Aro, assistant to Trombetta, said he asked Fresu to ride Souper Forces as if he was the best horse in the race.
“This horse is very nice and is coming along. He had a little time off, but he’s coming along very nice,” Aro said. “He comes running at the three-eighths pole, so if he can tuck in and save ground, at the end, that’s [good and] kind of what happened. He’s a fighter. He’s got heart, he tries, and he gives it his all.”
Intellect completed the exacta by one-length over Capitol Hill with Silent Heart, Sounds Like a Plan, Itsallcomintogetha, Air Recruit, Clever Mischief and Cosmic Year rounding out the order of finish.
Franco said Intellect had enough pace to chase in the competitive race
“My horse was traveling well going to the half-mile,” Franco said. “From the three-eighths to quarter-pole, he kind of got lazy on me, so I had to ask him a little bit earlier than I wanted, but that’s the way it is. I thought I got the jump on the seven [Souper Forces], but he got me.”
Franco said his charge did not idle despite having a neck advantage in the final jumps.
“He don’t stop, I won’t say stop, but the other one was getting to me with a big stride,” Franco said.
Souper Forces is out of the Trombetta-trained stakes-winning More Than Ready mare American Giant, a half-sister to dual stakes-winner Crystal Quest for the same connections.
Souper Forces banked $96,250 in victory while improving his record to 7-5-1-0. He returned $14.42 for a $2 win bet.
Live racing resumes Saturday at Belmont Park with an 11-race card headlined by the Grade 1, $500,000 Champagne [Race 8], which offers a “Win and You’re In” berth to the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile in October at Keeneland, and is one of six graded events on the stacked program. Also featured are three additional “Win and You’re In” events in the Grade 2, $250,000 Miss Grillo [Juvenile Fillies Turf] in Race 7, the Grade 2, $250,000 Pilgrim [Juvenile Turf] in Race 11 and the Grade 3, $200,000 Futurity [Juvenile Turf Sprint] in Race 10 to go along with the Grade 1, $500,000 Frizette [Race 9], a Breeders’ Cup “Dirt Dozen” race that offers the top-three with entry credits to the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies. Those events are supported by the Grade 3, $200,000 Matron in Race 6. First post is 12:05 p.m. Eastern.
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