Oceanport, N.J. – Burning Sands Stable LLC’s San Pablo powered past Small Town Talk and Toby’s Corner in mid-stretch before drawing off to a 3 ½ length victory in the Grade 3 $150,000 Philip H. Iselin Stakes at Monmouth Park on Saturday before a crowd of 11,958.

Trained by Todd Pletcher, San Pablo sat off the pace early before coming under a ride around the far turn and reeling in his foes near the 1/8th pole. San Pablo covered the mile and an eighth over a fast main track in 1:49.59 and paid $3.80, $2.40 and $2.10 as the favorite in the field of six colts and geldings. Toby’s Corner completed the $8.60 exacta and paid $2.80 and $2.40. It was another head back to pacesetter Small Town Talk, who returned $3.60 to show.

“The plan was to just get him comfortable early and into a nice rhythm,” said winning jockey Chris DeCarlo. “I just sat and waited with him until it was time to go. He’s not a quick punch type of horse so I started riding him a little early so as to not give him too much to do. Once we straightened up in the lane he was rolling.”

The Iselin victory, the first graded win for San Pablo, was the seventh in 12 career starts for the 4-year-old colt by Jump Start from the Silver Ghost mare Hunt’s Corner. He has now earned $382,800 for his connections.

Live racing continues at Monmouth Park on Sunday, Aug. 19 – gates open 11:30 a.m., first post 12:45 p.m. In addition to live action, Sunday marks day two of the Shore Chef Crab Cake Cook-Off at the track, which runs from noon to 5 p.m.