Father Patrick cruises to victory in $203,000 American-National sophomore trot

cover photo by Curtis Salonick

by Kimberly A. Rinker, for Balmoral Park

Crete, IL — Father Patrick added another feather to his illustrious cap by simply cruising to a five length victory in 1:52.2 in the $203,000 American-National for 3-year-old male trotters on Saturday night (Oct. 11) at Balmoral Park.

David Baum photo

Father Patrick rolled to an easy victory for driver Yannick Gingras.

The son of Cantab Hall-Gala Dream-Enjoy Lavec led at every post for driver Yannick Gingras, comfortably trotting through fractions of :28.2, :57.2 and 1:24.4. That final time equaled the Balmoral track record for sophomore trotting colts.

“I was open to any idea when the wings folded and no one was going out of there, so I left easily and it was a walk in the park for him. The last time he got away with a half like that was when he qualified,” said Gingras. “I asked him to trot down the lane as I didn’t want to get too cute and have anyone catch us, but he was just on cruise control.”

Trained by Jimmy Takter for the Father Patrick Stable of East Windsor, N.J., Father Patrick upped his seasonal earnings to $1,385,581 and his career earnings to $2,129,638.

E L Titan finished in second for driver Ron Pierce and trainer Riina Rekila, while Rompaway Galaxy got up for third with John Campbell in the sulky for trainer Krista Harmon.

The victory was career win 21 for Father Patrick and seasonal win 11.

Father Patrick was the unanimous choice by the U.S. Harness Writers as the Dan Patch Award winning 2-year-old Trotting Colt of 2013 when he won 10 of 11 starts, including the Peter Haughton Memorial, William Wellwood Memorial and the Breeders Crown, setting a world record mark of 1:52.1f at Pocono Downs. He was also the leading money winner in his division with $744,057 in seasonal earnings in 2013.

This year, Father Patrick’s wins include a 1:50.4 triumph in a division of the Bluegrass Stakes at The Red Mile on Sept. 28, and wins in the $613,800 Canadian Trotting Classic, the $260,000 Pennsylvania Sire Stakes Championship, the $340,000 Zweig Memorial, the $500,000 Earl Beal Jr. at Pocono Downs in a world record time of 1:50.2f and the $317,000 Stanley Dancer Memorial in 1:51.3.

Father Patrick was bred by Brittany Farms and was a $105,000 yearling purchase at the 2012 Lexington Selected Sale. He is a full brother to million-dollar-earner and 2010 Dan Patch Award winner Pastor Stephen 3,1:52.4s ($1,048,607) and also has a 2-year-old full brother in Whom Shall I Fear (a $475,000 yearling purchase at the 2013 Lexington Selected Sale), who finished second by a head on Oct. 3 at Lexington to longshot Aldebaran Eagle in 1:55.1 with Gingras in the sulky. Takter also conditions this colt.