Patch Adams wins the H. Allen Jerkens for his second consecutive Grade 1 (Susie Raisher)
NYRA Press Office
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – CHC Inc. and WinStar Farm’s Patch Adams, returning to the site of his biggest victory, slipped through an opening along the rail turning for home and outran a game Captain Cook through the stretch to register a determined nose victory in Saturday’s Grade 1, $500,000 H. Allen Jerkens Memorial at Saratoga Race Course.
The 41st running of the seven-furlong Jerkens for sophomore sprinters, named for the late legendary Hall of Fame horseman who passed away in March 2015 at the age of 85, was among five graded-stakes worth $3.15 million in purses on a stacked program headlined by the Grade 1, $1.25 million DraftKings Travers.
It was the third consecutive win for Patch Adams and second straight against Grade 1 company with Luis Saez in the irons following his 2 1/4-length triumph in the Grade 1 Woody Stephens presented by Mohegan Sun at the identical course and distance June 7, his most recent race. Sent off the narrow 5-2 favorite in a field of eight, he returned $7 for a $2 win bet.
“Good set-up. Obviously, a ground-saving trip,” winning trainer Brad Cox said. “He was ready to roll. He certainly acted like he was. Back home in Kentucky, we worked him out of the gate two weeks ago and put in a good move. We had him sharp enough. He broke well and Luis saved ground and we needed it. He needed all of the seven-eighths to get there.”
Captain Cook, racing with blinkers off in his seventh start and first for Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher, broke alertly from post position 7 but was outrun to the front by Midland Money, in just his third lifetime race as one of three Jerkens contenders trained by Hall of Famer Bob Baffert.
Midland Money went the opening quarter-mile in 22.38 seconds over the fast main track pressed by jockey Ricardo Santana, Jr. and Captain Cook to his outside while jockey Luis Saez had Patch Adams settled in third saving ground along the rail. Midland Money continued to lead through a testing half-mile in 44.52 when Santana, Jr. gave Captain Cook his cue and they swept to a short lead entering the stretch.
Saez, meanwhile, remained patient with Patch Adams waiting for an opening that appeared once they straightened for home, setting the son of Into Mischief down for a drive and engaging with Captain Cook to the wire before prevailing in a final time of 1:21.61. Captain Cook was 1 1/2 lengths ahead of late-running Grade 2-winner Barnes in third, and it was another two lengths back to Grade 1-winner Chancer McPatrick in fourth.
Back-to-back Grade 1 wins for PATCH ADAMS as he takes the Grade 1 H. Allen Jerkens Memorial Stakes with Luis Saez up for trainer @bradcoxracing. pic.twitter.com/He4Gu9gHOG
— NYRA () (@TheNYRA) August 23, 2025
“It was a pretty good trip. He broke pretty well. He put me in a great spot. And when he came into the top of the stretch, we got lucky to find a spot inside the rail and we took it. He responded pretty well, and he fought for the race,” Saez said. “I was a little worried because the horse in front of me was kind of staying there. So, I was trying to see if I could get out of the rail. But when I saw the little spot, we took advantage.”
Madaket Road, second to Patch Adams in the Woody Stephens; Midland Money, Smoken Wicked and Verifire, Patch Adams’ Brad Cox-trained stablemate that was previously undefeated in three starts, completed the order of finish.
Patch Adams has benefited from a return to sprinting after a pair of fourth-place finishes this year on the Kentucky Derby trail. Since shortening up, he is 3-for-3 with an optional claiming win in May over sloppy and sealed footing at Churchill Downs and his sensational score in the Woody Stephens prior to the Jerkens. He is also a perfect 3-0 at seven furlongs including a maiden triumph last fall at Churchill.
Bred in Kentucky by WinStar Farm, Patch Adams is out of the stakes-winning Distorted Humor mare Well Humored – a half-sister to Grade 1 winner American Patriot and Parchment Party, who captured the Grade 3 Belmont Gold Cup and Listed Birdstone at Saratoga this year.
“We thought he was a big-time horse,” Cox said. “He is a big-time horse, a dual Grade 1-winner now. We thought he was a horse that could pick off a Derby prep, it wasn’t to be with the Southwest and the Tampa Bay Derby. We cut him back and he’s responded really well.”
Saez previously won the Jerkens with Promises Fulfilled in 2018. It was the first Jerkens win for Cox.
Pletcher was thrilled with the effort from St. Elias Stable’s Captain Cook, winner of the Listed Withers February 1 and third in both the Grade 3 Peter Pan and Listed Maxfield for previous trainer Rick Dutrow, Jr.
“The horse has been training really well,” Pletcher said. “We know he’s an accomplished horse. We really liked the way he was coming into it [the race]. I thought he ran a tremendous race.”
Live racing resumes Sunday at Saratoga with a 10-race card featuring the $150,000 West Point presented by Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital in Race 8. First post is 1:10 p.m. Eastern.
