CHC Inc. and WinStar Farm’s Kentucky-bred Patch Adams turned back a competitive field of 10 sophomore sprinters in the $500,000 Woody Stephens Stakes (G1) during the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival at Saratoga Race Course on Saturday, June 7.

Trained by Brad Cox and ridden by Luis Saez, Patch Adams stalked the early pace in the seven-furlong fixture which was contested over a muddy track. Patch Adams chased the leader in the four path on the far turn, gained ground nearing the quarter-pole, and launched his bid in upper stretch. He took command in the final furlong and drew clear late to score by 2 ¼ lengths over Madaket Road. He stopped the clock in a fast 1:31.36.

“This horse, I really like him,” said Saez. “He was working pretty well, and today he came with a good run. That was the plan. We wanted to break from there and take a good position, and he did it. He was in a perfect spot the whole way. I was very proud of him. He found a good spot, and man, when he came to the top of the stretch he gave me a good turn of foot.”

G1 H. Allen Jerkens a Target for Patch Adams

A future target for Patch Adams could be the $500,000 H. Allen Jerkens Memorial (G1) on Aug. 23 at Saratoga.

“I would say probably one turn and I don’t think there is anything that would make us thinking about stretching him back out. We will see how he comes out of it and what everyone else does,” related Cox. “But I would say he has probably found a home around one turn. The ultimate goal would be getting to the H. Allen Jerkens Memorial.”

Elliott Walden, WinStar’s president, CEO, and racing manager, concurred.

“We’ll probably come back for the [H. Allen Jerkens Memorial]. He ran kind of quick back here and been at it all year; gone to Oaklawn, gone to Tampa—and he’s not a super big horse. He’s a special horse,” Walden said. “I think he’s got more there and will be really tough running back. 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 is a son of Into Mischief out of the Distorted Humor mare Well Humored. With his Woody Stephens score, Patch Adams improved his record to 6-3-0-1 and boasts lifetime earnings of $497,585.