Isotherm to let ‘er rip in San Simeon Stakes

ARCADIA, Calif. – It goes like this – horses start out racing short distances. And then horses stretch out to race at longer distances.

Isotherm, however, is doing it in reverse. A long-distance turf runner who won a Grade 2 race at 1 1/4 miles last winter, Isotherm shortens up to a turf sprint Sunday at Santa Anita. What is up with that?

Trainer Phil D’Amato has a good reason to start Isotherm in the Grade 3 San Simeon Stakes, a 6 1/2-furlong sprint that is the shortest turf distance he has tried. Isotherm “pulls.” That is, he gets keen and does not relax. A remedy is a shorter race in which he is likely to be outsprinted early. Regardless, Isotherm’s trip Sunday cannot be any worse than his debacle last out at one mile.

“He was pulling the rider out of the saddle, four wide the whole way, made a big move, and then just kind of petered out a little bit,” D’Amato said. “Going down the hill, horses that pull do well. You don’t have to take hold.”

It makes sense in theory, though it hardly makes Isotherm the winner of the $100,000 San Simeon. Among seven others in the field are downhill specialists with turf-sprint résumés superior to Isotherm’s.

Coniah and Belvoir Bay are graded stakes-winning mares with hillside form and nowhere else to run except against males. Graded stakes winner Conquest Tsunami will vie for favoritism based on two downhill victories last winter and a close third last out in a Group 1 in Dubai.

Anatolian Heat, Double Touch, Miss Julia Star, and Mongolian Saturday also entered the San Simeon, race 8 on a nine-race card. Peter Miller trains Conquest Tsunami, Belvoir Bay, and Anatolian Heat.

KEY CONTENDERS

Isotherm, by Lonhro
Last 3 Beyers: 89-76-95

◗ After winning the Grade 2 San Marcos in 2017, Isotherm was unplaced in four starts. He was fifth on dirt in the 2017 Santa Anita Handicap, a creditable fifth in his comeback this past January, seventh while trying for a San Marcos repeat, and fourth with a bad trip last out.

◗ Giovanni Franco is his new rider. “He was breezing [Isotherm] going into his last race but had to serve days,” D’Amato said. “He’s been breezing the horse the last two months.” Franco is the regular rider for the D’Amato-trained Grade 1 winner Fault.

Conquest Tsunami, by Stormy Atlantic
Last 3 Beyers: NA-106-99

◗ He could be favored based on his last three starts – second-level allowance and Grade 3 wins on the Santa Anita hill this past winter and a third last out in the Al Quoz Sprint in Dubai.

◗ Conquest Tsunami’s hand is forced from the inside post; he is likely to set the pace under Victor Espinoza.

Coniah, by Harlington
Last 3 Beyers: 92-99-96

◗ A front-runner/presser, she was a pace casualty last out, finishing fourth as the favorite in a turf sprint for fillies and mares.

◗ Kent Desormeaux regains the mount on the Bill Morey-trained Coniah, who figures as a contender if she can avoid a pace duel with Conquest Tsunami.

Belvoir Bay, by Equiano
Last 3 Beyers: 94-92-96

◗ She won a turf-sprint stakes for fillies and mare last out and figures for a good trip, forwardly placed while positioned just off the speed.