Perfect Soul All Heart in King Edward 'Cap

Charles Fipke's Irish homebred Perfect Soul wound up for his late bid from the far outside in the final turn and went on to tally an easy 2 1/2-length victory over Strut the Stage in Sunday's $336,000 King Edward Breeders' Cup Handicap (Can-IIT) on the Woodbine turf.

The 5-year-old son of Sadler's Wells, sent off as the 8-5 favorite with Robert Landry in the saddle, covered the 1 1/8-mile test for 3-year-olds and up in 1:49 3/5 on a good course. Strut the Stage, ridden by Todd Kabel, was 1 1/4 length in front of Del Mar Show and Pat Day. A field of nine contested the King Edward.

Perfect Soul, carrying 119 pounds, collected his first career stakes victory for trainer Roger Attfield. He came into the race after turning in a half-length loss to Dr. Brendler in his previous start, the Dixie Stakes (gr. IIT) on May 17 at Pimlico.

The victory was worth $203,760 to Fipke, a geologist who also owns Diamond Fury, a $2.7 million public auction purchase. Perfect Soul, from the Secretariat mare Ball Chairman, had a runner-up finish in the 2002 Niagara Breeders' Cup Handicap (Can-IT) at Woodbine. The victory was Perfect Soul's fifth in 10 starts, all on the grass, and pushed his career earnings to more than $550,000.

Breaking last, Landry let the bay horse sit eighth down the backstretch while racing away from the rail as Tap the Admiral dueled Union Place through modest splits of :24 2/5, :48 1/5 and 1:12 4/5. On the far turn Perfect Soul moved up to fifth and launched a five-wide rally. He gained control in upper stretch and pulled away.

Perfect Soul paid $5.40, $3.50 and $2.50. Strut the Stage, the 121-pound high weight, returned $3.90 and $2.80. Del Mar Show, 119 pounds, paid $2.80 to show. The $2 exacta was worth $24.40.

(Chart, Equibase)