Slow down, but only just a bit. That will be the amended racing style of Conclude when the promising and quick colt has his stakes debut in the $100,000 John Shear Stakes at about 6 1/2 furlongs on the hillside turf course for 3-year-olds at Santa Anita on Sunday. Conclude led throughout a maiden race at 5 1/2 furlongs on turf March 4, pulling clear to win by 4 1/4 lengths in 1:01.57, earning a sharp Beyer Speed Figure of 96. To win the John Shear Stakes against seven rivals, Conclude will need to conserve some of his speed in the longest race of his career, and his first start on the track’s unique hillside course. Recent workouts, which have involved jockey Flavien Prat, have focused on patience. “That’s what we’ve been doing in the works, getting him to relax more,” trainer Phil D’Amato said. “He’s so fast. His works have not been blazing by design. We want to get him to sit off and finish, and he’s been doing that very well.” In the maiden race win, Conclude drew the inside post and set the pace. “We wanted to get the job done,” D’Amato said. Conclude, who races for the Little Red Feather partnership, Madaket Stable, and Brereton Jones, will have his third start in the John Shear Stakes. :: Get Santa Anita Clocker Reports straight from the morning workouts at the track. Available every race day.  To succeed in the John Shear, Conclude is likely to be in pursuit of runners such as Helladic, who was third in the Baffle Stakes for 3-year-olds on the hillside turf course on March 5 after setting the pace, and Marks Hip, who was a second in an allowance race at 5 1/2 furlongs on the turf oval March 19. First Peace, unraced since a second in the Eddie Logan Stakes at a mile on turf Dec. 30, will race as a stalker under jockey Mike Smith in the John Shear. First Peace was entered in the Baffle, but was withdrawn after developing a temperature in the days before the race, trainer Mark Glatt said. Glatt knows Conclude is the runner to fear, but thinks a turf sprint will suit First Peace in his 3-year-old debut. “Conclude was an impressive maiden winner. He certainly is one to be worried about,” Glatt said. “There is a ton of speed in the race. I don’t think my horse will be involved in that. I think he’ll be right behind that early speed. “He’s going to be perfectly capable if he likes the layout. The distance should be right up his alley.” :: Get ready for Santa Anita racing with DRF Past Performances, Picks, and Clocker Reports.  None of the runners in the John Shear have had as good a year as Valiancer, who has won his last two starts in turf sprints – a maiden race at six furlongs on Feb. 11, and the allowance race at 5 1/2 furlongs on March 19 that included Marks Hip. Valiancer has had 10 starts and seems to have found his niche in turf sprints. The John Shear is his debut on the hillside course. “I think he’s figured what he wants to do,” trainer Jeff Mullins said. “It looks like there is plenty of pace. I think it will be a good setup.” The John Shear is the top race on an 11-race program that begins at noon Pacific. This is the final day of racing at Santa Anita before a week-long spring break to rest the turf course and give participants a break. Racing resumes on Friday, April 21 and continues through June 18. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.