Patternrecognition takes Kelso as Brown earns five-win card

ELMONT, N.Y. - There were high hopes for Patternrecognition in 2015, when he was purchased as a 2-year-old for $420,000. That it took him two years to even get to the races had summed up the son of Adios Charlie’s star-crossed career.

“We obviously thought a lot of this horse," trainer Chad Brown said. "We bought him as a 2-year-old many, years ago for a lot of money with not a lot of pedigree, but with a lot of promise. He’s had some injuries along the way.”

On Saturday, at Belmont Park, that promise was finally realized in a significant race as Patternrecognition, under Tyler Gaffalione, scored a one-length, front-running victory in the Grade 2, $300,000 Kelso Handicap. Sunny Ridge, a millionaire in his own right, finished second by a half-length over Timeline.

The Kelso win capped a five-win afternoon at Belmont for Brown, who also won the Grade 3 Noble Damsel with Uni earlier in the card. Brown missed winning a sixth race when Sweet August Lady lost a claiming race by a head.

It was 25 years ago - when Brown was 14 - that trainer Shug McGaughey won six races on a Belmont card including Grade 1 staples The Jockey Club Gold Cup, Frizette, and Beldame, as well as the Grade 3 Lawrence Realization and Grade 3 Kelso (then run on turf) and an allowance race.

Brown missed out on the winner’s circle parade as he was at Parx Racing, outside of Philadelphia, where he ran Separationofpowers (fourth) in the Grade 1 Cotillion and Instilled Regard (last) in the Grade 1 Pennsylvania Derby as well as several other horses.

“The way my horses ran in Parx, I should have stayed home,” Brown said by phone. “Things went nearly perfect in New York, they couldn’t have gone too much worse at Parx. I’m thankful for the day in New York.”

Three of Brown’s winners at Belmont were owned in whole, or in part, by Seth Klarman’s Klaravich Stables. That include Patternrecognition, whom Klarman owns in partnership with William Lawrence.

In the Kelso, Patternrecognition, under Tyler Gaffalione, jumped out on top and was able to open up and maintain a one-length lead through a quarter in 23.77 seconds, a half-mile in 46.83, and six furlongs in 1:10.32. No Dozing, under David Cohen, stalked from second before confronting Patternrecognition at the quarter pole.

Patternrecognition turned aside that challenge and then had to contend with a late run from Sunny Ridge, but he held that one off to get the victory, his first in a stakes and fourth from 10 overall starts.

Patternrecognition covered the mile in 1:34.16 and returned $13.20 as the 5-1 second choice, getting a 101 Beyer Speed Figure.

Gaffalione said he was a little surprised he was able to get an uncontested lead believing Battle of Midway, the 2017 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile winner, would leave running from the rail.

“When we broke on top, I didn’t want to take anything away from my horse,” Gaffalione said.

Brown saluted Gaffalione for his aggressive tactics.

“Tyler did a great job letting that horse take control of the race early and letting him roll,” said Brown, who also finished third in the race with Timeline.

Following Timeline, in order were No Dozing, Battle of Midway, Still Having Fun, and Realm.

Battle of Midway, the even-money favorite, was making his second start since coming back from retirement after having been deemed subfertile in the breeding shed. He was sitting a comfortable third early under Flavien Prat, but offered nothing in the stretch and was defeated 2 3/4 lengths.

“I got a good trip, I thought I had some horse turning for home and as soon as I tipped him out he went at the same pace,” Prat said.