Santa Anita: First Peace faces familiar foes in Sunday stakes

First Peace will look to make it back-to-back stakes wins on the hillside turf course Sunday when he takes on several familiar rivals in the $100,000 Desert Code Stakes for 3-year-olds.

Trained by Mark Glatt, First Peace scored at 4-1 when testing the hill for the first time in the April 9 John Shear Stakes. Left in his wake that day were runner-up Mas Rapido, Valiancer and Conclude, who was the odds-on favorite for trainer Phil D’Amato. Each will take a second crack at First Peace on Sunday.

Through his first six starts, First Peace is proving to be a consistent colt for owner Rancho Temescal and Red Baron’s Barn. By the More than Ready stallion Funtastic, he was purchased for $75,000 at last year’s OBS June 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale.

First Peace failed to menace when he debuted on dirt last September at Del Mar. But in five subsequent starts, all on turf, he’s never missed the board. Prior to his win in last month’s John Shear, First Peace was second beaten just a half-length in the local one-mile Eddie Logan Stakes on Dec. 30 and was a close-up third in the Cecil B. DeMille Stakes (G3) at Del Mar on Dec. 4.

In the Desert Code, First Peace is the slight 8-5 program favorite ahead of 9-5 second choice Conclude.

“He’s just as solid as can be,” Glatt said of First Peace on Saturday morning. “One of those horses that always gives their best.”

In the John Shear, First Peace showed a new dimension when winning from just off the pace. He was sitting just behind the two leaders at the quarter pole before bursting through on the rail under Hall of Famer Mike Smith to earn a comfortable one-length win.

Glatt noted the different style shown by First Peace in the John Shear was largely the result of a couple of factors.

“He was shortening up from a mile and often horses when they are coming down the hill, they will relax a little more,” the trainer explained.

First Peace, who will again have Smith in the irons in the Desert Code, has banked $141,300 with a record of 2-2-1 in six starts.

“He’s really taken a liking to the hillside,” Glatt said. “Hopefully he will have a repeat performance on Sunday.”

The Desert Code goes as the sixth race on Sunday’s eight race card. Post time is scheduled for 3:41. The field in post-position order with jockeys: Valiancer, Hector Berrios (6-1); First Peace, Mike Smith (8-5); Mas Rapido, Kent Desormeaux (5-1); Conclude, Juan Hernandez (9-5); Acquired Class, Umberto Rispoli (6-1); Ransomware, Ramon Vazquez (8-1).

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