SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Trainer Brad Cox had the utmost confidence that Patch Adams was sitting on another “huge” effort in the $500,000 Allen Jerkens Stakes and that in the end, it was all about getting a good trip. Cox’s wish coming to fruition after Patch Adams saved all the ground before out-finishing a game Captain Cook to register a nose victory Saturday at Saratoga in the Grade 1 Jerkens.
Patch Adams was on the Kentucky Derby trail early in the year before subsequently turning into one of the top members of the sprint division, adding the Allen Jerkens to his impressive victory here Belmont Stakes weekend in the Grade 1 Woody Stephens. Both races were decided at seven furlongs with jockey Luis Saez aboard.
As was the case in the Woody Stephens, Patch Adams raced within easy striking distance just off the early leaders while hugging the rail from the outset. Patch Adams failed to make any real progress when sharply roused by Saez on the final turn but kept plugging along upon settling into stretch, finally responding to the pressure, narrowly getting up over Captain Cook in the shadow of the wire.
Captain Cook was making his first start since being transferred to trainer Todd Pletcher’s barn and racing without blinkers for the first time. He broke quickest of all under Ricardo Santana Jr., forced the pace of Midland Money from the outset, gained command from that rival upon settling into the stretch, edged clear then just failed to last.
Barnes was rated along in between horses down the backstretch, remained in some tight quarters around the bend, angled out for clearance leaving the turn then rallied mildly to prove best of the others without menacing the top pair. Chancer McPatrick, Madaket Road, a tiring Midland Money, Smoken Wicked, and Verifire, who had an eventful beginning, was eased to the wire far back.
Patch Adams is a son of Into Mischief owned in partnership by his breeder WinStar Farm and CHC Inc. He completed the distance over a fast track in 1:21.61 and paid $7.00 as the tepid favorite in a field of eight 3-year-olds. He was given a 103 Beyer Speed Figure.
“He certainly acted like he was ready to roll back home in Kentucky, he broke well, Luis saved the ground and he needed all of it. He needed all the seven-eighths to get there,” Cox said when asked about Patch Adams’s trip in the Allen Jerkens.
Cox said he had high hopes Patch Adams could be a Derby hopeful earlier this season
“We thought he could pick off a Derby prep, it wasn’t to be, we cut him back and he’s responded really well,” Cox added. “We always thought he was a big time horse and [now] he is a big time horse, a dual Grade 1 winner.”
Cox said he has no plan in mind at the moment for Patch Adams’s next start.
“It would be nice to get him to the Breeders’ Cup, I don’t know if that will be a two turn dirt mile or three-quarters of a mile in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint,” Cox said. “We’ll let the dust settle, get him back home and go from there.”
Pletcher was pleased with Captain Cook’s effort even in defeat making his first start since joining the barn earlier this summer.
“The horse has been training really well. I thought he ran a tremendous race,” Pletcher said.
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