Seeking the Soul, winner of 3 graded stakes, dies at age 12

Ocala Stud stallion Seeking the Soul, whose first-crop runners are 3-year-olds this year, died unexpectedly on Feb. 28 at age 12 of complications from colic.

A Grade 1 winner who banked more than $3.4 million, Seeking the Soul had an illustrious racing career. The Charles Fipke homebred won the Grade 1 Clark Handicap in 2017, the 2018 Ack Ack (G3) and the 2019 Stephen Foster (G2). All told, he won or placed in eight graded stakes, including runner-up finishes in the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile and the $9 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1), while hitting the board in 20 of 32 career starts.

Seeking the Soul was by Fipke’s Grade 1 winner and Canadian champion Perfect Soul out of the graded-stakes-winning Seeking the Gold mare Seeking the Title. He hailed from the famed Phipps family of undefeated champion Personal Ensign, champion Storm Flag Flying and Grade 1 winners My Flag, Miner’s Mark  and Traditionally.

“The unexpected passing of Seeking the Soul is a tremendous loss,” said Ocala Stud’s David O’Farrell. “He was a remarkable racehorse who had just begun his stallion career. His impact will be deeply missed by everyone who knew and worked with him, including all of us here at Ocala Stud. We extend our condolences to Charles Fipke, who bred him and guided him through an extraordinary racing career.”