Surface To Air shoots down First Mission to take Philip H. Iselin Stakes

It took the 5-year-old horse Surface to Air a dozen starts to win a race, and when he finally did he beat $30,000 maiden-claimers. The Premier Stable and trainer Pannagiotis Synnefias swooped in and claimed the horse out of that Keeneland maiden.

What a claim that’s been. Since losing his first 12, Surface to Air has crossed the finish first seven times in 11 starts, and in winning his second straight Monmouth stakes, the Philip H. Iselin on Saturday, Surface to Air took down his second odds-on Brad Cox-trained favorite this summer.

Last month, in the Monmouth Cup, it was Just a Touch, whom Surface to Air beat by a half-length at odds of 1-10. In the Grade 3, $250,000 Iselin, First Mission went off as the 1-5 favorite and came up three-quarters of a length short of Surface to Air.

The Iselin unfolded similarly to the Monmouth Cup, albeit over 1 1/16 miles rather than 1 1/8 miles. While Just a Touch set the pace last month, First Mission stalked and pressed Repo Rocks’s moderate half-mile split of 48.33, drawing alongside him early on the second turn, but unable, after it looked like he’d cruise to the lead, to easily dispatch the pacesetter. Meanwhile, Samuel Marin had Surface to Air flying past the quarter pole, overtaking First Mission at the head of the homestretch, and holding clear one last final effort from the favorite through the final half-furlong.

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Repo Rocks held third, 4 1/2 lengths behind First Mission. The winner clocked 1:44.27 over a fast track and paid $9 after returning $41.40 in the Monmouth Cup. Just five ran after Offaly Cool was scratched.

Surface to Air is by Midshipman out of Shemazon, by Congrats. Cox beat him with Bishops Bay in Surface to Air’s mid-July long layoff comeback in the Salvatore Mile at Monmouth. Just a Touch and First Mission were supposed to be tougher foes than Bishops Bay. Surface to Air shot them down.

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