Soul Of The Matter Sharp in Comeback Victory

Burt Bacharach had not been to a racetrack since the Kentucky Derby. Coincidentally, neither had his 3-year-old, Soul Of The Matter. Bacharach was at Del Mar Thursday to watch his horse make his comeback run.

“I’ve got a 7:30 a.m. flight to Houston tomorrow,” Bacharach said. “I hope this whole trip is worthwhile.”

Soul Of The Matter, fifth in the Derby, had been kept in the stable because of hoof injuries until blowing away the allowance field in Thursday’s eighth race. Jockey Kent Desormeaux had him seven lengths behind a pack of five horses entering the stretch. When Desormeaux finally found a hole, Soul Of The Matter breezed to victory.

“He had all kinds of excuses to lose,” Bacharach said. “He was trapped, trapped, trapped. It seemed Kent had nowhere to take him.”

Soul Of The Matter has four victories in eight starts, finishing out of the money only in the Kentucky Derby. Trainer Richard Mandella said he has no schedule set for his next start.