Upsets galore in Hulman and Schaefer
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Short-priced favorites flopped in the two six-figure dirt races for older horses as Trademark won the Michael G. Schaefer and Soul of An Angel upset the Marie Hulman George for fillies and mares.
Soul of An Angel came from eighth behind a fast pace to upset the $100,000 Hulman George, classified as a handicap this year but historically run as a stakes race. While seven of the nine entrants carried 121 pounds, designating the race a handicap rather than a stakes meant Lasix could be used. It also meant that technically, trainer Gerald James and jockey Ajhari Williams still never have won a stakes race, though this ought to have been a career milestone for the two, both originally from the Virgin Islands.
Soul of an Angel had won just twice in 25 starts and was coming off 15- and 16-length defeats, but has 46.55-second half-mile pace flattered her late run, which she launched around the far turn and sustained to the finish.
Another longshot, 25-1 Raindrops and Roses, was second by a neck over Take a Stand. Odds-on favorite Heartyconstitution checked in fifth after a very rough trip. Soul of An Angel ran 1 1/16 miles over a track rated “good” in 1:44.81. The 4-year-old filly is co-owned by James and Hall Performance. By Atreides out of Factor One, by The Factor, she was bred in Kentucky by Westbrook Stables.
In the $102,275 Schaefer Stakes, Trademark ($11) wore down pacesetting Five Star General to win by 1 1/2 lengths. Masqueparade finished solidly for third, while 11-10 favorite Creative Minister never was a factor and crossed the wire sixth. Promise Keeper, who might have been favored, was an early scratch.
Five Star General, a 13-1 chance, led through a half mile in a solid 47.79 seconds, put away the chasing Pat’s Property past the the three-furlong marker, stubbornly held off Trademark in upper stretch but eventually succumbed. Under Indiana veteran Fernando de la Cruz, Trademark stalked the pace from third before making his move before the quarter pole. He clocked a quick 1:40.25 for one mile 70 yards over the good going.
Trained by Vickie Oliver for BBN Racing, Trademark was coming off an improved third in the Salvator Mile at Monmouth Park and might well have run a career best. Fourth in the 2022 Indiana Derby, the 4-year-old, bred in Kentucky by Brereton Jones, is by Upstart out of Creative Trick, by Creative Cause.
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