Patch Returns to Racing in Belmont Allowance

Calumet Farm's one-eyed fan favorite Patch will make his 4-year-old debut at Belmont Park May 12 in the sixth race, an allowance for 3-year-olds and older at 1 1/16 miles on the main track. 

It will be his first start since a fourth-place finish in the Aug. 5 West Virginia Derby (G3) at Mountaineer Casino Racetrack & Resort. The son of Union Rags  has been training at Palm Beach Downs in Florida for trainer Todd Pletcher.

"He's been training well," Pletcher said. "It's been a while since he ran, so I assume that he'll benefit from a run, but we have him tight enough to have him make a good showing of himself. 

"We got him back about three months ago, and he's been training steadily since then. He was a little tired after his West Virginia effort, so we sent him back to Calumet to freshen him up."

Patch became a sentimental darling among racing fans during last year's Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1). He is missing his left eye due to an ulcer suffered as a 2-year-old. Unraced that year, Patch debuted as a 3-year-old at Gulfstream Park with a second-place finish in January before he returned a little more than a month later to break his maiden.

He was entered in the Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby (G2) at Fair Grounds Race Course in April and responded with a strong second-place finish to Girvin to earn 40 points and a spot in the Kentucky Derby gate.

Patch, who was named before the injury, was the first partially blind horse to race in the Kentucky Derby since Pollard's Vision  in 2004. Patch finished 14th after a rough trip that began from the outside post. The Kentucky-bred returned to run third in the June 10 Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets (G1), a race his sire won in 2012.

Patch will be joined by Hall of Fame rider John Velazquez, who was aboard for the Belmont Stakes and guided Patch to victory in his maiden win.