Patch Adams headed to Oaklawn for Southwest Stakes

The twice-started exciting prospect Patch Adams will make his stakes, route, and 3-year-old debut in the Southwest Stakes on Jan. 25 at Oaklawn Park, trainer Brad Cox said Tuesday.

Patch Adams has breezed steadily at Payson Park since shipping to Florida from Kentucky in mid-December and flies from Florida to Arkansas on Monday.

Third at odds of 4-5 making his career debut over six furlongs at Keeneland in October, Patch Adams on Nov. 30 won a seven-furlong Churchill Downs maiden race by 10 1/2 lengths under wraps. His raw time of 1:20.77 translated to a 98 Beyer Speed Figure, the second-highest figure for a North American 2-year-old during 2024. Rated By Merit, knocking around fellow Florida-breds last year, posted a 99.

Patch Adams most recently worked five furlongs in 1:01.20 on Sunday at Payson, going in company with [and considerably better than] the 5-year-old multiple graded stakes winner Hit Show.

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Owned by Siena Farm and his breeder, WinStar Farm, Patch Adams is by Into Mischief and is the first foal to race out of the Distorted Humor mare Well Humored, a stakes winner going two turns on dirt.

The Southwest, a Grade 3 worth $1 million, will be contested at 1 1/16 miles. Daily Racing Form reported earlier this month that trainer Bob Baffert was aiming Gaming to the race.

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