The rematch is set between East Avenue and Bishops Bay in the $150,000 Philip H. Iselin Stakes (G3) at Monmouth Park on Saturday.
These two millionaires met two months ago at the Jersey Shore track, and East Avenue nosed out 4-5 favorite Bishops Bay at the wire in the Salvatore Mile (G3).
The Iselin is a bit longer at 1 1/16 miles, and these two could end up in a fight to the finish like last time.
The field for the 91st edition of the Iselin is down to four, with Chunk of Gold and La Frost also entered. Sergeant Capps is now headed for a race at Saratoga on Aug. 19, while Bill Mott-trained Stars instead ran – and won – the Birdstone Stakes at Saratoga on Thursday.
Bishops Bay, owned by KAS Stables and trained by Brad Cox, has earned more than $2.5 million in a splendid resume of nine victories and four seconds in 16 career starts. The 6-year-old son of Uncle Mo counts the 2025 Cigar Mile (G1) among his top wins.
Even after the narrow loss, Bishops Bay is the 7-5 morning-line favorite. He will be ridden by Luis Rivera, Jr. for the first time. Look for Bishops Bay to go to the lead early and try to hold off his rivals.
East Avenue (9-5), owned by Godolphin and trained by Brendan Walsh, is a graded stakes veteran – this will be his 11th consecutive graded stakes race. In 2024, he won the Breeders’ Futurity (G1); in 2025, he took the Matt Winn (G3), and his Salvatore Mile win was his first victory in three starts in 2026.
He closed strongly in the Salvatore Mile but has also won by stalking the pace. The 4-year-old son of Medaglia d’Oro has earned more than $1.1 million. Tyler Gaffalione, who was aboard for the Salvatore Mile, returns to ride.
Chunk of Gold (3-1) made some Triple Crown noise in 2024, finishing second in the Risen Star Stakes (G2) and Louisiana Derby (G2) before running ninth in the Kentucky Derby (G1). The $2,500 purchase returned to the races after a seven-month break in June, running second in a 1 1/16-mile optional claimer at Churchill Downs.
The gray son of Preservationist is owned by Terry Stephens and trained by Ethan Ward. Jaime Torres has the call. He also has a victory over East Avenue with his win in the 2025 West Virginia Derby (G3) -- East Avenue was fifth.
La Frost (20-1) is likely in way too deep, even in a four-horse field. The 4-year-old gray son of Frosted steps into his first graded stakes race with a 3-for-5 record – all wins at Monmouth Park, including a neck victory in a 1 1/16-mile optional claimer on July 19. Melissa Iorio will be aboard for trainer Terri Pompay.
There’s some added incentive in the Iselin as the race is part of the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Dozen, an incentive program that provides tiered bankroll credits for first-, second-, and third-place finishers that apply towards pre-entry and entry fees to the Breeders’ Cup (the Iselin is part of the BC Dirt Mile portion of the program). The entry fee credits are $15,000 for the winner, $7,500 for second, and $3.750 for third.
| # | Horse | Jockey | Trainer | M/L |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | East Avenue | T Gaffalione | B P Walsh | 9/5 |
| 2 | Chunk of Gold | J A Torres | E W West | 3/1 |
| 3 | Sergeant Capps | - | P A Synnefias | 30/1 |
| 4 | Stars and Stripes | J Alvarado | W I Mott | 4/1 |
| 5 | Bishops Bay | L R Rivera, Jr. | B H Cox | 7/5 |
| 6 | La Frost | M Iorio | T M Pompay | 20/1 |
Last Updated on 08/14/2026
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