C2 Racing Stable, Agave Racing Stable, and Ken Reimer's champion female sprinter Soul of an Angel will bypass the $20 million Saudi Cup (G1) and remain in the United States for her next start.
Trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. said Feb. 9 that Soul of an Angel, based at Gulfstream Park, is being pointed to the seven-furlong Madison Stakes (G1) for older fillies and mares April 5 at Keeneland.
Soul of an Angel had been on the alternate list for the Feb. 22 Saudi Cup going 1 1/8 miles around one turn at King Abdulaziz Racecourse in Riyadh. Had she gone, the 6-year-old mare would have left on a flight Feb. 11.
"She's not going for sure. That's official. She's going to go to the Madison," Joseph said. "We're going to give her a little freshening now that we're not going to Saudi and probably in a month or so we'll start back breezing her."
Soul of an Angel was third or better in eight of 11 starts with more than $1 million during her championship season, highlighted by a victory in the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint (G1). She earned a fees-paid berth to the Breeders' Cup by winning Gulfstream's Princess Rooney Invitational (G3) in September.
Most recently Soul of an Angel ran third as the favorite, beaten a neck and a head following a slow start, in the one-mile Rampart Dec. 26 at Gulfstream. She had three timed works following the race, the last a half-mile move in :47.80 Feb. 2.
"We won't breeze her every week because it's too far out from the (Madison)," Joseph said. As it turned out at the last minute we probably could have gotten in at Saudi, but it was too late. We only ran in the Rampart with Saudi in mind. If (we) had to redo it, we would have given her a break then."
The last dirt race for older female sprinters left on Gulfstream's Championship Meet stakes schedule is the $165,000 Hurricane Bertie (G3) going 6 1/2 furlongs March 8. Last winter, Soul of an Angel was second to stablemate Honor D Lady in the 1 1/16-mile Royal Delta (G3), which will be run Feb. 15.
"There's only one race for her and 6 1/2 is too short, so there's nothing really on the calendar," Joseph said. "She's got the Madison and a couple other grade 1s to go in. She's going to keep training every day, obviously, but this will give her a chance to refresh. It's a lot easier to stay home."
This press release has been edited for content and style by BloodHorse Staff.
