After coming up short despite rallying strongly in his return following a seven-month layoff on July 28, Souper Forces showed his strong closing kick is effective as it has always been.

The Michael Trombetta-trained gelding, who has come off the pace his entire career, used a sweeping move to pass four horses and then drew off for a sharp 3½-length victory in Sunday’s $100,000 Red Bank Stakes at Monmouth Park.

Ridden by Charlie Marquez, Souper Forces had only longshot La Frost beat as Jersey-bred J J Zo Zo took the six-horse field through opening fractions of :23.42 and :48.16 in the one-mile grass feature. From there, Souper Forces, a 4-year-old Florida-bred son of Laoban owned by Live Oak Plantation, easily engulfed the field.

The winning time over a turf course listed as “good” was 1:39.01

It marked Souper Forces’ second stakes win in six career starts. Overall, he now has four victories and has three wins and a second from four grass starts.

“The horse has been doing well,” said Trombetta. “Obviously I had my worries with the softer turf. I didn’t know how he would do with that. Heading into the first turn I think the rider was just trying to get him comfortable and find the best part of the track. It looked like he settled nicely. I guess (Marquez) felt like he had plenty of horse when it came time to running and it looks like he did.

“He always shows up. He had some minor issues that he needed some time for and it looks like he’s come back running well. At the end of the season last year we had to put him away for a little bit. He had some minor stuff that needed some time. It looks like he has managed to come back well.”

After winning three of four starts a year ago, Souper Forces was stopped on Dec. 13, finally returning on July 28.

Jersey-bred There Are No Words held second, a nose better than Grade 1 winner Win for the Money.

Marquez’ patience and timing proved to be the ideal fit for Souper Forces, who paid $6.00 to win.

“He had been off for a while before his first start this year,” said Marquez. “He ran short last time at Presque Isle. He needed the race. He closed that day too. In his past starts at Gulfstream Park he came off the pace and would make a big sweeping move.         “Today I knew with a smaller field I had to be a little closer, especially with the soft turf, without using him and it worked out. Around the turn, at about the three-eighths, he was taking me along. I was able to get him outside. When I got him outside he took off. He was much the best today. I got him outside on the good part of the turf course and he went on easily from there.”

Trombetta said he will take some time before deciding where to point Souper Forces next.

“We’ll watch him and see where he takes us,” he said. “This was a nice stepping stone for him. It was a flat mile, which is a nice distance for him coming off the break. We’ll see how he comes out of this and then see what we can get into this fall.”