Exotics Plays for the Iselin Stakes

A compact field of six will travel 1 1/16 miles on the Monmouth Park dirt in Saturday’s feature, the $250,000 Philip H. Iselin S. (G3). The Brad Cox-trained #6 First Mission is the class of the group and will be hard to go against in this particular assignment. The dark bay homebred is a multiple graded victor who has arguably been at his best this campaign, with a dominant win in the Oaklawn H. (G2) two back preceding a smart third-place result in the Stephen Foster S. (G1) at Churchill Downs in June. 

Iselin Exotics

• $20 exacta 6 with 1 ($20)
• $10 exacta 6 with 3 ($10)
• $1 trifecta key 6 with 1,2,3 ($6)
• $3 trifecta 6 with 1 with 2,3 ($6)

First Mission has earned triple-digit Brisnet Speed figures in each of his performances in 2025 and is seemingly training well enough to post another big number while making his local debut. The son of Street Sense is four-for-five at the distance and could sit a perfect trip with Floren Geroux signed on. 

If the top pick falters for any reason, I expect #1 Offaly Cool to benefit most in the cast. Trained by Jacinto Solis, the five-year-old gelding has won or placed in eight straight since the start of 2024 and comes off a dominant allowance victory at Parx in his latest appearance. Kentucky-bred gelding drilled a bullet leading up to this endeavor, and the versatile son of Kantharos will be well placed throughout the contest with Abner Adorno taking the reins. 

I’ll tab #3 Vitality for major improvement for conditioner Joe Orseno. The chestnut son of Street Boss has been a bit disappointing in his last two following a nice tally at Gulfstream Park three back, but he has back class as a Canadian classic winner, and the gelding can unleash a big turn of foot on his best day, as well. Sonny Leon will take the reins.

#2 Surface to Air upset a different short-priced favorite from the Cox shedrow on this course in his latest showing and has to get a look on this occasion. The chestnut son of Midshipman has never been the most consistent runner in training, but the Kentucky-bred can obviously be quite good on his best day, and he also has room to improve in his third start since December, too. Samuel Marin stays in the irons and will rally the contender from off the pace in this spot.