By Bill Heller
Benefitting from a fine front-end ride by Dylan Davis, Harold Lerner, AWC Stables and Nehoc Stables’ colt Pat On the Back captured the 20th running of the one-mile $250,000 Sleepy Hollow Stakes for Two-Year-Olds by a length and a half at 20-1 on New York-bred Showcase Day Saturday at Belmont Park.
Tellmeafookystory, who was 9-2 under Luis Saez from the outside post in the field of nine, rallied from far back for second, a length and a quarter ahead of 5-2 Gold for the King and Jose Ortiz. There was a gap of 2 ¼ lengths back to 13-1 Mr. Buff and Kendrick Carmouche in fourth.
Sugar Maple Farm bred Pat On the Back, a son of Congrats out of Accomplished by Awesome Again who sold for $70,000 as a yearling at Saratoga in August, 2015, and is trained by Kenny McPeek.
Why Pat On the Back went off at odds of 20-1 off a morning line of 10-1 is a legitimate question. In his prior two starts, he won the $120,000 Aspirant Stakes at Finger Lakes at 5-1 and finished in a dead-heat for second in the $147,000 Bongard Stakes at Belmont Park at 9-2.
Davis, who has ridden Pat On the Back in all of his five starts, got him away in good order from the seven post, but he was challenged on the inside by 7-1 Haul Anchor and Junior Alvarado. “He was sharp coming out and he pulled me right to the lead,” Davis said. “I didn’t want to take anything away from him.”
Pat On the Back led Haul Anchor by a head after a first quarter in :23.61, but Haul Anchor took the lead by a head after a half-mile in :47.45.
Despite the early pressure, Davis felt good about Pat On the Back’s position. “I found myself being very comfortable at the half-mile pole,” Davis said. “I just let his speed carry him.”
Pat On the Back put away Haul Anchor and opened a three-length cushion by running three-quarters in 1:13.72. Tellmeafookystory closed strongly, but Pat On the Back still had plenty left.
Pat On the Back is now three-for-five with one second and earnings of a tad over $300,000. Not bad for a 20-1 shot.
