CHC and WinStar Farm's dual grade 1 winner Patch Adams , the top 3-year-old male sprinter in the country, was recently retired to stud at WinStar Farm due to a racing injury that will keep him out of the Nov. 1 Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) at Del Mar.
But two sophomore sprinters close behind Patch Adams in Aug. 23 H. Allen Jerkens Stakes (G1)—runner-up Captain Cook and third-place Barnes—are still in action and compete Oct. 18 against four other 3-year-olds in the Perryville Stakes (G3) at Keeneland. The Perryville, which shares the Saturday card at Keeneland with the $400,000 Raven Run Stakes (G2) for 3-year-old fillies, is a $350,000 contest at seven furlongs on the main track.
Both St. Elias Stable's Captain Cook and Zedan Racing Stables' Barnes were on the Kentucky Derby (G1) trail this spring before they exhibited limitations in graded routes. Barnes was the early Derby favorite among individual betting interests this winter, in fact.
Captain Cook, transferred this summer into the barn of Todd Pletcher, showed marked improvement in his last start in his first start for the Hall of Fame trainer, missing by a nose in the seven-furlong Jerkens at 20-1 odds. Pressing the early pace, he took over entering the stretch, and just failed to repel the late bid of Patch Adams.
Video: H. Allen Jerkens Memorial S. (G1)
Winner of the 1 1/8 Withers Stakes earlier in the year against easier opposition for trainer Rick Dutrow, the Practical Joke colt is 2-1-2 in seven starts with earnings of $386,056.
Irad Ortiz Jr. rides.
Barnes, competitive in the Jerkens after fighting his way through heavy traffic, ran like he needed more ground than the six furlongs of the Sept. 20 Gallant Bob Stakes (G3) at Parx Racing. A surprising 10th after a half, he offered a belated bid to grab fourth, beaten 3 3/4 lengths, losing at 2-5 odds.
The Into Mischief colt won the seven-furlong San Vicente Stakes (G2) earlier this year for Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert, who also runs the rail-drawn Gaming in the Perryville. The latter was one of the best 2-year-olds of last year, winning the Del Mar Futurity (G1) and running second in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1).
He has not produced to the same extent since, with just a single win in seven starts following the Del Mar Futurity— taking the ungraded Affirmed Stakes in June at Santa Anita. A distant third in the two-turn Shared Belief Stakes when racing a mile, the Game Winner colt should appreciate the return to a sprint. His Del Mar Futurity victory came at seven furlongs for owners Mike Pegram, Karl Watson, and Paul Weitman.
The up-and-coming Taylor's Version, Tampa Bay Derby (G3) winner Owen Almighty, and dual minor stakes winner Rolando complete the six-horse field.
Keeneland, Saturday, October 18, 2025, Race 6Entries: Perryville S. (G3)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1Gaming (KY) John R. Velazquez 120 Bob Baffert 8/1 2 2Taylor's Version (KY) Corey J. Lanerie 118 Dale L. Romans 6/1 3 3Barnes (KY) Jose L. Ortiz 123 Bob Baffert 5/2 4 4Owen Almighty (KY) Luis Saez 118 Brian A. Lynch 4/1 5 5Captain Cook (KY) Irad Ortiz, Jr. 118 Todd A. Pletcher 6/5 6 6Rolando (KY) Tyler Gaffalione 120 Fausto Gutierrez 12/1
