First Peace powered through an opening in the upper stretch of Sunday’s $100,000 John Shear S. at Santa Anita Park to score by a length in the 6 ½-furlong downhill turf race for 3-year-olds
First Peace was second in last month’s one-mile Eddie Logan S., also on the turf, after which trainer Mark Glatt thought the gray colt would be better suited to the downhill turf.
First Peace settled nicely out of the gate and was several lengths off of pacesetter Helladic. As they made their way down the hill, First Peace advanced steadily to be just behind Helladic as they crossed the dirt track. Helladic drifted just enough to give First Peace an opening on the fence, and the gray colt shot through to take the lead. He finished up full of energy to win in 1:11.50 on the firm turf.
“He hasn’t quite learned to settle going a mile, which hurt him in some of those (prior) races,” trainer Mark Glatt said after Sunday’s win. “I thought the down the hill was going to be right up his alley. You never know if he’s going to like it, but he’s a runner.”
Glatt was referring to his colt’s third-place finish in the Cecil B. DeMille S. (G3) and the aforementioned Eddie Logan, both at a mile. Nevertheless, First Peace has an excellent overall record of 2-2-1 in six starts, with earnings of $141,300 for the ownership group of Rancho Temescal LLC, Red Baron’s Barn LLC, and Rodney Orr.
The winner was bred by Chris Baker and Mulikin Thoroughbreds and is the first foal out of Peace Opportunity. First Peace sold to his owners for $75,000 at the 2022 OBS 2-year-old sale of Horses of Racing Age.
Funtastic, who stands this season for $5,000 S&N, is also the sire of 2023 stakes winner and graded stakes-placed Funtastic Again.
