After coming out on the losing end of a photo in the June 13 Salvator Mile Stakes (G3), KAS Stables' Bishops Bay fared better in a close finish in the $142,500 Philip H. Iselin Stakes (G3) Aug. 15 at Monmouth Park.
Pressing front-running Chunk of Gold through fractions of :23.43, :46.92, and 1:10.37 in the 1 1/16-mile Iselin, Bishops Bay poked his head in front of that rival midway on the second turn, seemingly on his way to a comfortable victory. But he appeared to coast once establishing a half-length advantage in midstretch, and a stubborn Chunk of Gold came back on before Bishops Bay responded late. The winner crossed the finish a neck in front, completing 1 1/16 miles on a fast track in 1:41.92 under Luis Rivera Jr.
Longshot La Frost ran a distant third, and favored East Avenue was last in the field of four after the scratches of Sergeant Capps and Stars and Stripes.
Multimillionaire Bishops Bay ($5), a WinStar Farm-bred 6-year-old son by Uncle Mo out of the Pioneerof the Nile mare Catch My Drift, is now 10-5-0 in 17 starts for trainer Brad Cox. He is a five-time graded stakes winner.
As part of the Breeders' Cup Dirt Dozen Bonus Series, the top three finishers earned entry fee credits toward the $1 million Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1), or another eligible Breeders' Cup dirt race taking place Oct. 31 at Keeneland.
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