Hopeful Stakes Win Crowns Chancer McPatrick Saratoga's Top 2-Year-Old on Closing Day

September 2nd, 2024 by Teresa Genaro

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Saratoga Race Course, 2024 Hopeful Stakes, Chancer McPatrick, Chad Brown, Flavien Prat

Chancer McPatrick closed from behind to win the Grade 1 Hopeful Stakes on closing day at Saratoga. (Susie Raisher/NYRA)

Chancer McPatrick unleashed a powerful late rally down the middle of the track to edge Ferocious at the wire and win the $300,000 Grade 1 Hopeful Stakes Sept. 2 on closing day at Saratoga Race Course.

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Chancer McPatrick was ridden to victory by Flavien Prat for trainer Chad Brown. The colt became the first stakes winner for freshman Gainesway stallion McKinzie.

With the victory in the Hopeful, Prat notched his record 14th Graded stakes win and record 18th overall stakes win at the 2024 Saratoga meet.

Chancer McPatrick prevailed by a half a length over Ferocious. Incentive Pay, also trained by Brown, finished third. The 2-year-old completed the seven furlongs in 1:23.44.

Just as he did when winning in his July 27 career debut in his only prior start, Chancer McPatrick closed from the rear of the field to get the victory.

"I hit the (starting) gate and lost my stirrups," said Prat. "It was pretty bad. The first jump he went right into the starting gate. From there, I regrouped.

"I was basically trying to give him a good race and see if he would make a run," Prat continued. "I got to the three-eighths pole, and I found I had horse underneath me. I was like, 'wow, I'll give him a chance,' and he responded right away. I never thought from there I could regroup. He did it, and he showed that he's very talented."

Chancer McPatrick wins. (Gary Johnson/Eclipse Sportswire)

Favored Ferocious, with Irad Ortiz Jr. in the saddle replacing the injured Javier Castellano, sat off the rail several lengths behind the Hopeful pacesetters. Moving wider approaching the 3/8 pole, Ferocious was in a perfect position to take the lead. Meanwhile, Chancer McPatrick had circled the field six-wide after lagging at the back of the pack. Appearing to tire and drifting out while Chancer McPatrick was surging, Ferocious nonetheless refused to cede when Chancer McPatrick approached, accelerating to attempt to keep pace with his rival.

"He seemed to be a little bit distracted. When the winner passed him by, he got engaged in the race. On the gallop out, he passed the winner again," said Gustavo Delgado, Jr., assistant and son to trainer Gustavo Delgado of Ferocious's runner-up performance. "They're still learning every race. It was a huge race."

Delgado Jr. also said that Ferocious lost his left front shoe during the race.

The day, however, belonged to Chad Brown who closed out the Saratoga meet in fine fashion, winning five races on closing day and running away with the summer meet training title.

"Man, what a run and what a finish," said Brown from the winner's circle.