Seeking the Soul to train at Churchill for Pacific Classic

Seeking the Soul, winner of the June 15 Stephen Foster at Churchill Downs, will be pointed to the Pacific Classic at Del Mar while staying put at Churchill for the summer, trainer Dallas Stewart said this week. The Grade 1 race is set for Aug. 17.

Seeking the Soul, bred and owned by Charles Fipke, also had been considered for the Grade 1 Whitney on Aug. 3 at Saratoga, but Stewart will be using the same strategy he used to great success the last time he won a major event for Fipke at Del Mar.

Forever Unbridled, a Fipke homebred, won the 2016 Breeders’ Cup Distaff at Del Mar off a 10-week layoff when using Churchill as her training base. Seeking the Soul, an earner of more than $3.3 million, will run in the Pacific Classic off a nine-week layoff.

Stewart is sending a string of horses to Saratoga for the meet, which starts July 11.

◗ Honorable Treasure helped erase the memory of two poor winter efforts in Dubai by rallying for a victory in a Thursday allowance at Churchill. Trained by Kenny McPeek, the 4-year-old colt earned an 84 Beyer Speed Figure.

In an earlier Thursday allowance, Brad Cox was the winning trainer, but not with the horse most had expected. Big Changes (4-1) captured the $72,504 turf route in which Mr. Misunderstood, the 3-5 favorite, finished third for Cox in his first start in seven months. Big Changes also got an 84 Beyer.

◗ Robby Albarado said Friday that doctors are estimating he will be off for six weeks because of injury. Albarado sustained a fractured left wrist in a June 23 spill at Churchill. Albarado, 45, has 5,187 career wins, which has him tied for 30th all-time with Gary Stevens, who retired last year.

◗ Trainer Vickie Foley said she intends to breeze Hog Creek Hustle on Saturday, July 6, at Churchill as she begins mapping a plan toward the Grade 1 H. Allen Jerkens on Aug. 24 at Saratoga. The Overanalyze colt won the Grade 1 Woody Stephens at nearly 19-1 in his last start.