Prat completes four-win day aboard Isotherm in San Marcos
ARCADIA, Calif.- Jockey Flavien Prat rode Isotherm to victory in Saturday’s $201,380 San Marcos Stakes, giving the 24-year-old leading rider a sweep of the final four races on the nine-race program at Santa Anita.
The 50-cent pick four covering those races paid $421.45. This was the third time in his career Prat has won four races on a program. He previously accomplished the milestone at Los Alamitos on Sept. 13, 2015, and at Del Mar on Aug. 27, 2016.
Saturday’s four-win day included two stakes. In the first three legs of the pick four, Prat won an optional claimer on turf aboard Faboozi ($16.20), an optional claimer on dirt with Avicii ($7.40), and the $300,690 San Antonio Stakes on Hoppertunity ($7.40). Isotherm paid $17.20 and was the fifth choice in a field of nine.
“What a day,” Prat said as he left the winner’s circle.
Isotherm was never far from the front throughout the Grade 2 San Marcos at 1 1/4 miles on turf. Prat positioned the 4-year-old colt in fourth or fifth for the first mile, keeping within range of the stalker Itsinthepost, who was ridden by Tyler Baze.
A Red Tie Day set modest fractions of 24.34 seconds for the opening quarter-mile and 49.07 for the first half-mile.
“We didn’t go that fast,” Prat said. “Everything worked out well. I was tracking the horse of Tyler’s. I thought he had a good shot.”
Isotherm was fifth with a quarter-mile remaining, about 1 1/2 lengths behind leader A Red Tie Day. Isotherm advanced to third with a furlong to go, and was within a neck of Itsinthepost, who had a narrow lead. In the final sixteenth, Isotherm reached the front to win by a half-length over Itsinthepost, an 8-1 shot.
Flamboyant, who won the 2016 San Marcos, finished third, followed by Hi Happy, A Red Tie Day, Texas Ryano, Twentytwentyvision, Power Ped, and Perfectly Majestic. Texas Ryano was the 2-1 favorite. He was eighth on the backstretch and turn and failed to close in the final furlong.
The San Marcos was the most prestigious win in Isotherm’s 12-race career. By Lonhro, Isotherm races for Matthew Schera and trainer George Weaver. Isotherm has won 3 of 12 starts and earned $399,629.
Isotherm won the second and third starts of his career - in a maiden race for 2-year-olds on turf at Saratoga in August 2015, and the Grade 3 Pilgrim Stakes at Belmont Park a month later. Isotherm was 13th in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile behind Nyquist at Keeneland in October 2015.
At 3, Isotherm was winless in seven starts and was second in the Grade 3 Dania Beach Stakes at Gulfstream Park in January and the Grade 2 Commonwealth Derby at Laurel in September.
The San Marcos was Isotherm’s third consecutive start in Southern California, preceded by a ninth in the Grade 1 Hollywood Derby at Del Mar on Dec. 3, and a fourth in the Grade 2 Mathis Brothers Mile here on Dec. 26.
Prat rode Isotherm for the first time in a race on Saturday. He became acquainted with the colt in two workouts in recent weeks.
“The last race he didn’t break that sharp,” Prat said. “I’ve worked him twice and he went pretty good. I was pretty confident.”