Soul of an Angel displayed her quality over the summer when beaten a scant head by champion Idiomatic in the Grade 3 Molly Pitcher going 1 1/16 miles at Monmouth Park. After Soul of an Angel finished third, 10 1/4 lengths behind Raging Sea and Idiomatic in the Grade 1 Personal Ensign at nine furlongs, trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. cut the 5-year-old mare back to seven furlongs for Gulfstream Park’s Grade 3 Princess Rooney, a Win and You’re In for the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint. Soul of an Angel rallied from last to prevail by a widening 3 1/4 lengths. It was her second graded victory around one turn this year along with the Grade 2 Ruffian going one mile on May 4 at Aqueduct. “Definitely much better one turn,” Joseph said. “The race with Idiomatic, it was a slow pace. It didn’t really test the stamina as much, so she ran well. But, in a true-tested stamina race, two turns isn’t her thing.” It’s been a career year for Joseph in terms of wins (211 as of Tuesday), graded wins (12), and earnings (more than $13.6 million). He also conditions Grade 2 winner Spirit Wind, who finished second in last week’s Grade 2 Thoroughbred Club of America at Keeneland. :: ON SALE NOW: DRF Breeders' Cup Packages! Get everything you need to win and save 41% off the retail price. “She bounced out of it good,” Joseph said. “She was second best. The winner came from behind. We chased a fast pace. I’m not sure if she goes on to the Breeders’ Cup. Seven-eighths is stretching her a little bit.” Joseph’s 3-year-old filly Mystic Lake, a four-time stakes-winning sprinter this year, will not contest the Filly and Mare Sprint after finishing fourth behind superstar Thorpedo Anna around two turns in the Grade 1 Cotillion on Sept. 21 at Parx Racing. “We tried the Cotillion because it was the last 3-year-old race of the Grade 1s” during the summer, Joseph said. “I thought she ran credible. She’s going to get a little freshening and maybe point to the La Brea.” ◗ There was a seismic shift in the rankings after last Sunday’s Grade 3 Chillingworth Stakes at Santa Anita as Sweet Azteca, the 1-10 favorite on the heels of four consecutive victories by a combined 24 3/4 lengths, finished last of four. Temperatures in Southern California hit the upper 90s, and trainer Michael McCarthy mentioned after the race that the heat might have affected Sweet Azteca’s performance. Once one of the leading Breeders’ Cup contenders, her status is now pending. The impressive Chillingworth winner, One Magic Philly, is possible for the Filly and Mare Sprint. Another option is to wait for Santa Anita’s Grade 1 La Brea for 3-year-old fillies racing seven furlongs on Dec. 26. :: BREEDERS’ CUP FILLY AND MARE SPRINT: See DRF’s special section with top contenders, odds, comments, news, and more Another 3-year-old filly on a winning streak, Hope Road, scratched from the Chillingworth, but breezed a quick half-mile in 47 seconds flat on Monday. ◗ Steve Asmussen will saddle two runners after Zeitlos kicked home strongly to win the TCA, her fourth consecutive victory over dirt. Zeitlos joins Asmussen’s Society, currently one of the top contenders after her score in the Grade 1 Ballerina on Aug. 24 at Saratoga. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.