In a thrilling turn of events, Soul of an Angel, the 5-year-old mare trained by Saffie Joseph Jr., pulled off a dramatic upset victory in the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint at Del Mar last Saturday. The victory has set the stage for a potential run in the prestigious $20 million Saudi Cup in February 2025, with the $125,000 Rampart at Gulfstream Park on December 26 being considered as a preparatory race.

A Stunning Comeback: Soul of an Angel's Remarkable Triumph

A Slow Start, a Stunning Comeback

Soul of an Angel, owned by the C2 Racing Stable, Agave Racing Stable, and Ken Reimer partnership, was slow out of the gate and found herself trailing the field by as much as 12 lengths after the first quarter-mile. However, the mare began to make her move on the far turn, sweeping to the outside and unleashing a powerful stretch run to win by a half-length at odds of 19-1.Saffie Joseph Jr., the mare's trainer, expressed his disbelief at the remarkable turnaround, stating, "Watching it live you have more confidence, because you're living in hope. But when you watch the replay, after the first furlong it's like she has no chance to win. No matter how many times I watch it and I see the first furlong it's like, 'Whoa, she's not going to make it.' It's unbelievable where she came from."

A Proven Performer with a Powerful Kick

Soul of an Angel's victory in the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint was her third graded-stakes triumph and her first at the Grade 1 level. The win also pushed her over the $1 million mark in career earnings, a testament to her consistent and impressive performances.Joseph noted that Soul of an Angel's come-from-behind style is her signature, stating, "She's going to sit back and make that run and she's got a really strong kick." This strategy had served the mare well in her previous victory in the Princess Rooney (G3) at Gulfstream Park on September 21, a race that qualified her for the Breeders' Cup.

Preparing for the Next Challenge

With the Breeders' Cup triumph under her belt, Soul of an Angel is now taking it easy at Gulfstream Park, where she is expected to race one more time this year before embarking on her 2025 campaign. The connections are considering the Rampart Stakes at Gulfstream Park on December 26 as a potential springboard to the prestigious Saudi Cup in February.Joseph emphasized that the team is taking a cautious approach, stating, "Nothing is set in stone. Everything is kind of tentative, but I would say if she goes to the Saudi Cup she's probably going to run in the Rampart." The one-turn mile race at Gulfstream Park is seen as an ideal preparation for the longer Saudi Cup, providing Soul of an Angel with the necessary conditioning and experience.

A Successful Breeders' Cup Weekend for Saffie Joseph Jr.

In addition to Soul of an Angel's triumph, Saffie Joseph Jr. had two other horses competing in the Breeders' Cup. Skippylongstocking finished sixth in the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile, and Honor D Lady ran seventh in the Breeders' Cup Distaff. While these results were not as successful as Soul of an Angel's, the trainer remains optimistic about their future prospects.Skippylongstocking is set to return to Gulfstream Park to prepare for the $3 million Pegasus World Cup (G1) on January 25, while Honor D Lady was purchased for $1 million at the Fasig-Tipton fall mixed sale just two days after the Breeders' Cup.

A Promising Prospect: Holiday Pay

Saffie Joseph Jr. will also be sending out another promising horse, Holiday Pay, in the $75,000 Awesome Banner overnight handicap at Gulfstream Park on Saturday. The Florida-bred Awesome Slew colt has been a consistent performer, never finishing worse than third in his eight starts, all at Gulfstream, with three wins to his name.Joseph is confident in Holiday Pay's abilities, stating, "He's been solid. I think he's kind of been improving each time. He's cutting back in distance a little bit this time, but I believe seven-eighths is a pretty good distance for him. He had one work and it was a solid work again. He's been training very well."With a strong track record and the trainer's endorsement, Holiday Pay will be one to watch as he takes on his own age group in the Awesome Banner Stakes.