Philip H. Iselin Stakes 2014 at Monmouth Park

Dave Bond | OTB Writer

Las Vegas, NV - The Grade 3 Philip H. Iselin Stakes Stakes comes our way from Monmouth Park on the Jersey Shore this Sunday, August 17. $150,000 will be on the line for horses three years old and upward as they race 1 1/8 miles for the winner's share of the $150,000.

A field of eight older horses have been confirmed for the Philip H. Iselin - race 10 on Monmouth Park's Sunday schedule. Post time is 5:40 PM. Here is a look into the past performances of all eight combatants for this Grade 3 stakes.

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2014 Philip H. Iselin Stakes Race Favorite Entries

Pants On Fire - he started 2013 with a third in the Hal's Hope January 13 went on to an Allowance Optional Claiming score February 15 and another pair of thirds - the Grade 3 Skip Away Stakes in March and the minor Mountainview Handicap at Penn National June 1. He entered the Breeders' Cup on a two race win streak - the Grade 2 Monmouth Cup July 28 and the Grade 3 Ack Ack Handicap at Churchill Downs September 7 and went on to a disappointing seventh in the Breeders' Cup. Pants on Fire then made an unsuccessful trip to Japan and finished sixteenth in the Grade 1 Japan Cup before taking eight months off. He returned July 25 and finished an OK third in the Grade 2 Monmouth Cup - his only start of 2014. He has won three times in seven starts on this track and is the expected favorite Sunday. Pants On Fire leaves from post 7 with Paco Lopez aboard.

Valid - impressive Marcus Vitali trained gelding is coming off a terrific win on this track - ahead of Pants On Fire in the Grade 2 Monmouth Cup July 27 which followed a decent third in the Grade 3 Salvatore Mile also here and a second in the minor Mountainview Handicap in May. He has 17 career starts with five wins, three seconds and three third place finishes and enters in the best form of his career. Orlando Bocachica has been named to attempt to keep the roll going - from post 3.

Philip H. Iselin Stakes 2014 | Remaining Contenders

Bern Identity - is trained by Kelly Breen broke onto the scene with a win in the 2012 Grade 2 Sanford Stakes at Monmouth Park on July 22 and followed that with an OK third in the Grade 2 Three Chimneys, a win in the minor Jean Lafitte Stakes October 20 by three lengths, and he was a very nice second to Goldencents in the Grade 3, $1 million Delta Downs Jackpot in November, 2012. He raced just once in 2013 to his only career off-the-board finish - a fifth in the Grade 3 Holy Bull January 26 and most recently posted an easy win in the minor My Frenchman Stakes here August 2 after nearly 20 months away. Bern Identity has hit the board in seven of eight career starts but is a tad tough to trust having raced just twice in the last 21 months. Charles Lopez gets the call from post 4.

Vegas No Show - multiple stakes winner and Kelly Breen trainee is coming off a sixth in the Grade 2 Monmouth Stakes - the fifth straight race in which he has failed to place. His last podium finish came in October - a win in the minor Coastal Stakes at Belmont Park which followed a win in the minor Ricci Tavi Stakes at Delaware Park in September. Vegas No Show has 19 career starts with four wins, two second and two third place finishes and will leave from gate 6 with Julian Pimentel in the irons.

Philip H. Iselin Stakes betting online at Monmouth Park with OffTrackBetting.com

Integrity - Chad Brown trained colt raced in graded stakes company for the first time last August and finished a disappointing twelfth in the Grade 1 King`s Bishop Stakes at Monmouth Park but reeled off three straight wins after that - two Allowance Optional Claiming scores and the minor Elusive Quality Stakes May 1 at Belmont Park. Last time out he made an unsuccessful return to graded stakes action - a seventh in the Grade 2 True North Stakes June 6. He has one other minor stakes start under his belt - a sixth in the Fit to Fight Stakes in April at Aqueduct. Integrity has five wins, a second and a third place finish in 11 career starts and will have Edgar Prado in the reins from post 2.

Balance of Power - David Jacobson trainee makes his graded stakes debut Sunday off a pair of runner-up finishes - the minor Carl Hanford Memorial Stakes last time out followed an Allowance Optional Claiming June 16 - both results at Delaware Park. He did have a two race Allowance Optional Claiming win streak earlier this year but Sunday marks a huge step up in competition. Balance of Power has five wins, two seconds and two third place finishes in 15 career starts and will depart from gate 5.

Elnaawi - Kiaran McLaughlin trained colt has been inconsistent in his career - coming off a ninth in the Grade 3 Salvator Mile here after an Allowance Optional Claiming score in this track in June - the only time he has placed in his last five starts overall. He did place third in the 2013 Grade 3 Gotham Stakes but has failed to hit the board in his two graded stakes starts since. Eddie Castro will try to get Elnaawi on track from the outsider post.

He's So Fine - will race in stakes company for the first time since an eighth in the 2012 Dixiana Breeders' Futurity. He has 18 starts since then - all Claiming races with just two wins - one coming last time out July 6 at Parx. He hasn't been in top company for quite some time and his results against lesser competition haven't been great the last two years. He's So Fine looks over his head as he lines up from the rail with Roberto Alvarado aboard.


2014 Philip H. Iselin Stakes Entries & Odds

Race 10 on Monmouth Park's Sunday card with a Post Time of 5:40 PM.

Entry Horse Jockey Trainer ML Odds
1 He's So Fine R. Alvarado, Jr. R. Preciado
30-1
2 Integrity E. Prado C. Brown
7-2
3 Valid O. Bocachica M. Vitali
5-2
4 Bern Identity T. McCarthy K. Breen
6-1
5 Balance of Power C. Lopez D. Jacobson
5-1
6 Vegas No Show J. Pimentel K. Breen
8-1
7 Pants On Fire P. Lopez K. Breen
3-1
8 Elnaawi E. Castro K. McLaughlin
15-1