Pat On the Back Puts Best Foot Forward with Kelso Win
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Photo: Coglianese Photos/Susie Raisher
Pat On the Back prevails over Prince Lucky to win the Kelso Handicap at Belmont Park
Harold Lerner, AWC Stables, and Nehoc Stables' Pat On the Back earned the first graded stakes win of his career Sept. 21, fending off a late challenge in deep stretch in the $300,000 Kelso Handicap (G2) at Belmont Park.
It was the third win in five starts at the one-mile Kelso distance for the son of Congrats trained by Jeremiah Englehart. His previous wins this year came in the May 27 Commentator Stakes and April 26 Affirmed Success Stakes, both at Belmont.
Breaking from post 3, Pat On the Back and jockey Dylan Davis settled just off the early pacesetters in fourth. True Timber dueled early with favorite Prince Lucky and Monongahela up front. Prince Lucky, ridden by John Velazquez, finally managed to get his head in front as the six-horse field reached the half-mile mark in :45.73.
Pat On the Back shifted out four wide as they rounded the turn and entered the stretch and was able to edge Prince Lucky at the eighth pole. Not to be outdone, Prince Lucky battled back, and the two dueled head-to-head to the wire. Pat On the Back fought gamely and prevailed by a half-length in a final time of 1:33.97.
"He really is a fighter, and Dylan did a fantastic job of getting him off the pace," Englehart said. "We didn't want to be on the lead today, and Dylan really did a masterful job of being able to get him back behind horses without fighting him too much. That was amazing."
True Timber finished third ahead of Tale of Silence, Plainsman, and Monongahela. Golden Brown was scratched.
"Today, I just tried to get him to relax," Davis said. "He broke sharp again today and I got a good hold of him, and he settled behind the leaders. I put myself behind Johnny; he was the horse to beat. Once they kicked on, he opened up for me outside of (Prince Lucky), and he finished well. He ran a good race today against open company.
"This is the best horse I've had in my career. I've been with him from when he was a 2-year-old, watching him grow. It was a little emotional galloping out. We're a team, and we were pushing up the stages and both working a rank up."
Pat On the Back's win in the Kelso earned the 5-year-old millionaire status, improving his earnings to $1,101,032. He holds a 9-4-5 record from 26 starts.
Bred in New York by Sugar Maple Farm, Pat On the Back is the 10th and final foal out of the Awesome Again mare Accomplished. He is a half brother to stakes winner Sarah Accomplished.
Pat On the Back was a $70,000 purchase by trainer Kenny McPeek, agent, out of the St. George Sales consignment to the 2015 Fasig-Tipton New York-Bred Yearling Sale in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.