Patch Adams won the Grade 1, $500,000 Woody Stephens Stakes, a one-turn, seven-furlong race for ten 3-year-olds at Saratoga, on Saturday after making a wide trip wheeling into the homestretch. Luis Sáez rode the Into Mischief colt to victory after it was trained by Brad Cox for owners CHC and breeder WinStar Farm. At post time, the favorite was Patch Adams (3-1). Madaket Road (11-1), whose trainer Bob Baffert had inserted blinkers, came in second, trailing only Patch Adams. Third place went to Big Truzz (7-1), who was flown by Joel Rosario for trainer Brian Lynch. Baffert and jockey Mike Smith settled for fourth place with Eclipse Award winner Citizen Bull (9-2).
The harrowed, main track, which was judged good after being sealed and sloppy early in the card, had the winning time of 1:21.36. The initial fractions were 1:08.73, 44.40, and 22.11. Patch Adams won his first race at Churchill Downs in November after finishing second out. Before being trimmed to 6 1/2 furlongs for an allowance win in the slop on the Kentucky Derby undercard, he started 2025 with fourth-place finishes in the Tampa Bay Derby (G3) and the Southwest (G3).
