CHC, Inc. and WinStar Farm LLC’s Patch Adams used every bit of the Saratoga stretch to win Saturday’s $500,000 H. Allen Jerkens Memorial S. (G1), besting Captain Cook by a nose in the seven-furlong race for 3-year-olds.
Winner of the Woody Stephens S. (G1) on June 7 over this same track and distance, Patch Adams tucked in behind the leaders and was third after the first quarter-mile. He held his spot around the turn, then began his rally up the inside to challenge Captain Cook for the lead in upper stretch. The two raced on even terms the rest of the way, with Patch Adams getting the nod on the wire.
“Back home in Kentucky, we worked him out of the gate two weeks ago and put in a good move,” trainer Brad Cox said. “He broke well and Luis (Saez) saved ground and we needed it. He needed all of the seven-eighths to get there.”
It would be nice to get him to the Breeders’ Cup. I don’t know whether that’d be a two-turn Dirt Mile, or three quarters of a mile in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint. We’ll let the dust settle, get him back home and go from there.”
Patch Adams, who was also bred by WinStar Farm, improved his record to 4-0-1 in seven starts, with earnings of $772,585.
Patch Adams is out of the stakes winner Well Humored, whose siblings include Grade 1 winner American Patriot and recent Belmont Gold Cup (G3) winner Parchment Party.
