Patch Adams defeated a talented group of sophomore colts in Saturday’s Grade 1, $500,000 Woody Stephens S. during the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival at Saratoga Race Course. The son of Into Mischief became the newest homebred Grade 1 winner for WinStar Farm.
Owned in partnership with CHC Inc. and trained by Brad Cox, Patch Adams entered the seven-furlong event from a sharp triumph against winners going 6 ½ furlongs at Churchill Downs in the race contested after the Kentucky Derby. The Woody Stephens was a triumphant return to the seven-furlong distance for Patch Adams, who earned TDN Rising Star status after he broke his maiden going seven-eighths last fall at Churchill Downs in a sharp 1:20.77.
Breaking from post 4, Patch Adams tracked just off the early foot of Macho Music who led an opening quarter-mile in 22.11 seconds and a half in 44.40. After being given his cue by jockey Luis Saez, Patch Adams responded around the far turn and gained the advantage at the stretch call. He drew off in mid-stretch to a 2 ¼-length victory and completed the seven furlongs in 1:21.36.
Patch Adams is out of the stakes-winning Distorted Humor mare Well Humored, whose dam Life Well Lived is a full-sister to WinStar Farm’s memorable 2009 Group 1 Dubai World Cup winner Well Armed. A multiple Graded stakes producer in her own right, Life Well Lived also is the dam of Grade 1 winner American Patriot and Parchment Party, who captured Friday’s Grade 3 Belmont Gold Cup at the 1 ¾-mile distance.
“He’s a special horse. I think he’s got more there and will be really tough running back,” said WinStar Farm President/CEO and Racing Manager Elliott Walden. “It’s just exciting to win a Grade 1 with a really well-bred colt from the family of Well Armed — a great family that’s been very good to us.”
Patch Adams banked $275,000 in victory, over doubling his lifetime earnings to $497,585. His record stands at 6-3-0-1.
