SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – The speedy Souper Quest will likely have to hold off the late kick of Arzak, Big Invasion, and others in order to win Monday’s $150,000 Harvey Pack Stakes scheduled for 5 1/2 furlongs over Saratoga’s outer turf course.
The Harvey Pack, named in honor of the longtime New York racing analyst/paddock show host who died in 2021, shares billing on the 12-race closing-day card with the Grade 1, $300,000 Hopeful for 2-year-olds on dirt.
Souper Quest, a 4-year-old son of Munnings, has never finished worse than third in eight career starts for trainer Mark Casse and Live Oak Plantation. He is coming off a nose win over Our Shot in a stakes-caliber allowance run here July 28, a field that included last year’s Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint winner Nobals, who challenged Souper Quest in upper stretch before fading.
Prior to that, Souper Quest finished second to Grooms All Bizness in the Get Serious Stakes at Monmouth Park, another race where he set the pace.
“I was a little disappointed in his Monmouth race, but he got a little hot and bothered because we shipped in the morning of the race,” Casse said. “He should be a better horse this time. If that’s the case, it should make him tough.”
Souper Quest, who will be ridden by Jose Ortiz, looks to have the most early speed of anyone in the field, but will have plenty of challengers late.
Arzak, trained by Michael Trombetta, will undoubtedly go off favored. Two starts back, he finished second to the turf sprint division leader Cogburn in the Grade 1 Jaipur here June 8. Most recently, Arzak finished third in the Wolf Hill Stakes on July 20 at Monmouth Park.
Speaking of the Jaipur, Trombetta said Cogburn “just ran so freaky fast that day, somebody had to be second, I’m just glad it was me.”
In the Wolf Hill, Trombetta said the horse lost a little bit of position on the far turn, and “left him a little more to do. Monmouth has a short stretch and he ran out of stretch before he got there,” Trombetta said.
Arzak, who will be ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr., carries co-high weight of 124 pounds along with Surveillance, who won the off-the-turf Grade 3 Troy Stakes here Aug. 10. Prior to that, Surveillance won an allowance/$62,500 optional claimer here on the turf, a race from which he was claimed by Wayne Potts.
Big Invasion, beaten a neck by Thin White Duke in this race last year, is coming off a neck defeat to Outlaw Kid in a very fast allowance race July 4 at Aqueduct. He scratched out of the Troy when it came off the turf.
Our Shot, third in last year’s Harvey Pack, made a strong late run to just miss by a nose to Souper Quest last out. Our Shot’s last victory came in an allowance at Saratoga prior to his narrow defeat in the 2023 Harvey Pack.
Smithwick’s Spice, 25-1 upset winner of the Select Stakes on Aug. 17 at Monmouth, is wheeling back in two weeks for trainer Douglas Nunn.
Charging, High Front, and Mister Mmmmm complete the field.
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