Stewart hopes Seeking the Soul 'bounces back' in Pegasus World Cup

In his fourth local breeze since finishing sixth in Churchill Downs' Clark Stakes (G1) last November, Charles Fipke’s homebred Seeking the Soul stopped the timer in 1:12.60 for six furlongs over a fast track Friday morning at Fair Grounds.

The 7-year-old continues to prepare for a return to the Jan. 25 Pegasus World Cup (G1) a season after running second to City of Light at Gulfstream Park. 

The son of Perfect Soul won just once in eight tries in 2019,  taking the Stephen Foster (G2) at Churchill  in June. Since then, he has finished no better than a distant fourth in a quartet of Grade 1 races.

Despite the recent form, trainer Dallas Stewart is confident in a rebound.

“He’s a really remarkable racehorse” Stewart said. “He bounces back year after year, race after race. He worked really well this morning. Visually he still does it so easily.

"He’s prepping for the Pegasus again and looks just as good as he did last year. He likes that track and he’s feeling good. I’m really happy with him. He’s trained consistently at Fair Grounds so just hoping for the best.

"We will see what happens in the race.”

With over $3.4 million in the bank, he is far and away the most productive racehorse sired by Perfect Soul, who was pensioned at Darby Dan Farm in the spring of 2019. As for an extended campaign this season, Stewart said, “We are just taking it one race at a time.”

2020 Pegasus World Cup (G1)