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Glatt’s First Peace Rates Edge Among Eight Sophomores In Sunday’s $100,000 John Shear Stakes
4/6/2023
GLATT’S FIRST PEACE RATES EDGE AMONG EIGHT SOPHOMORES GOING ABOUT 6 ½ FURLONGS DOWN HILLSIDE TURF IN SUNDAY’S $100,000 JOHN SHEAR
RACE NAMED FOR SANTA ANITA’S RETIRED PADDOCK CAPTAIN WHO TURNED 102 ON JAN. 17; SPECIAL EARLY FIRST POST TIME FOR AN 11-RACE CARD SUNDAY IS AT 12 NOON
ARCADIA, CA (April 6, 2023)—In what shapes up as a wide-open affair at about 6 ½ furlongs down Santa Anita’s storied hillside turf course, Mark Glatt’s First Peace, who shortens up out of three consecutive one mile turf races, rates a big chance versus seven rival 3-year-olds in Sunday’s $100,000 John Shear Stakes.
Named for Santa Anita’s beloved Paddock Captain, who called it a career at age 100 in July of 2021, the John Shear will be run for the first time down the hillside turf as it was contested at one mile on the main track and run as the John Shear Mile in 2021 and 2022.
Idle since running a close second, beaten a half length by the Phil D’Amato-trained Classical Cat in the one mile Eddie Logan Stakes on Dec. 30, First Peace was third, beaten 2 ¼ lengths two starts back in the Grade III Cecil B. DeMille Stakes at Del Mar Dec. 4. A gate to wire one mile turf winner here three races back on Oct. 29, First Peace got a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 84 in the Eddie Logan and will be ridden back by Mike Smith on Sunday.
Owned by Rancho Temescal, LLC, Red Baron’s Barn, LLC and Rodney Orr, First Peace sat a close second to deep stretch in the Eddie Logan, made the lead inside the sixteenth pole but was overtaken on the money by Classical Cat. Although beaten a half length, First Peace then galloped out well in front into the Club House turn.
With three consecutive turf miles under his belt, First Peace would appear well suited to shorten up and try the hill for the first time as a fresh horse. By the More Than Ready stallion Funtastic, he’s out of the Point of Entry mare Peace Opportunity.
The John Shear best last-out Beyer belongs to Phil D’Amato’s Conclude, who earned a 95 figure when breaking his maiden in virtual gate to wire fashion by 4 ¼ widening lengths going 5 ½ furlongs on turf here March 4 under Flavien Prat, who rides him back on Sunday.
A Kentucky-bred colt by the City Zip stallion Collected, Conclude is out of the Proud Citizen mare Believe You Can and is owned by Little Red Feather Racing, Madaket Stables, LLC and Brereton Jones. A sharp second, beaten a half length in his 6 ½ furlong maiden turf debut Jan. 21, he’ll be trying the hillside for the first time.
The speed of the field would appear to be the Ryan Hanson-trained Helladic, who nearly went gate to wire down the hill while finishing third, beaten 1 ½ lengths by repeat stakes winner Johannes in the Baffle Stakes March 5.
Second, beaten 1 ¼ lengths two starts back by multiple stakes winning Speed Boat Beach going five furlongs on turf in Santa Anita’s Speakeasy Stakes Oct. 2, Helladic, a chestnut gelding by Kantharos, has gone to the lead in all four of his turf sprints, posting a 1-2-1 record. Owned by Robin Dunn, Richard Gardner and Ryan Hanson, Helladic will be ridden back by Frankie Dettori.
THE JOHN SHEAR WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER
Race 7 of 11 Approximate post time 3 p.m. PT
- Mas Rapido—Kent Desormeaux—120
- First Peace—Mike Smith—120
- Valiancer—Hector Berrios—122
- Conclude—Flavien Prat—120
- Helladic—Lanfranco Dettori—120
- Nullarbor—Juan Hernandez—120
- Marks Hip—Edwin Maldonado—120
- Fleet Feet—Kazushi Kimura—120
Special early first post time for an 11-race card Sunday, which is the final day of Santa Anita’s current Classic Meet, is at 12 noon. Santa Anita will take a regularly scheduled break from live racing until its Hollywood Meet opener on Friday, April 21. The Hollywood Meet will run on a Friday though Sunday basis through June 18.