December 29, 2024

San Pablo kicks clear in Iselin

Last updated: 8/18/12 7:18 PM


Burning Sands Stable’s San Pablo rallied three wide into contention on the
far turn, collared the leaders in midstretch and drew clear late in Saturday’s
Grade 3, $150,500
Philip H. Iselin Stakes
, posting a 3 1/2-length score over the fast track at
Monmouth Park. An easy winner of the Birdstone Stakes at Saratoga in his
previous outing, the Todd Pletcher-trained four-year-old notched his first
graded victory when completing the 1 1/8-mile distance in 1:49 2/5. Chris
DeCarlo guided the winner.

Small Town Talk showed the way early, registering opening splits in :23 2/5
and :47 2/5 as San Pablo rated within a few lengths in fourth. Toby’s Corner
stumbled at the start but advanced to apply pressure entering the far turn, but
the pacesetter still clung to a half-length advantage when passing the
three-quarters point in 1:11 3/5.

San Pablo was asked for run turning for home and found his best stride in the
stretch, surging to the lead with about a sixteenth a mile remaining. He quickly
kicked clear and cruised to the wire in hand.

Favored at 4-5 over five rivals, San Pablo paid $3.80, $2.40 and $2.10.
Toby’s Corner, the 8-5 second choice, wound up a head better than the 28-1 Small
Town Talk in third. Gourmet Dinner, Eldaafer and Ponzi Scheme rounded out the
order of finish. Self Control was scratched.

Bred in Kentucky by Dan Bearden, San Pablo is by the A.P. Indy stallion Jump
Start and hails from the winning Silver Ghost mare Hunt’s Corner. He counts
Slider, the runner-up in the 2003 edition of the Grade 2 Oaklawn Handicap, as a
half-brother. This is the immediate female family of stakes winner Spin Zone
and, further back, champion and successful sire Hail to Reason.

Now a three-time stakes winner, San Pablo finished fourth as the favorite in
the Grade 2 Monmouth Cup Stakes two starts previously, the only unplaced outing
in his career. He also owns three stakes placings, including a runner-up in the
Grade 3 Excelsior earlier this season. With Saturday’s $90,000 payday, the dark
bay has now earned $382,800 from a 12-7-3-1 line.



Bet Horseracing Free Online at TwinSpires.com