In a move that shot him to the top of discussions for Champion 2-Year-Old Colt honors, Chancer McPatrick won the Champagne S. (G1) to stay undefeated in three starts and secure a Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) berth. He was also the second Grade 1 winner of the day for MCKINZIE, who saw daughter Scottish Lassie win the Frizette S. (G1) the race before.
Winning the Hopeful S. (G1) at Saratoga last out, Chancer McPatrick was happy to be the back marker early in the one-mile dirt race after breaking from the widest gate. The colt wasn’t in a hurry while letting the field open multiple lengths on him before he joined them halfway down the backstretch. Jockey Flavien Pratt let his mount circle the field as they entered the turn and by the time they reached the quarter mile pole, he had only the leader in front of him.
That one grudgingly gave away inside the final furlong and once he had the lead, Prat put his stick away to let the colt roll to an easy 2 ¾ length win as the heavy favorite.
CHANCER MCPATRICK, the 2YO son of @Gainesway stallion McKinzie, wins the Grade 1 Champagne Stakes!
Flavien Prat and Chad Brown team up for the win, earning a @BreedersCup berth and 10 @KentuckyDerby qualifying points! pic.twitter.com/sD2L3MdeXs
— NYRA (🌳) (@TheNYRA) October 5, 2024
“He was traveling well without doing too much, and when I called on him turning for home, he responded positively,” said Prat. “When I made that move outside, he kind of made a move then he switched off again and then regrouped and made another run. It’s nice to see that he has a few runs into him. That’s a good sign.”
This is the third win in as many starts for Chancer McPatrick, who is trained by Chad Brown for Flanagan Racing. The colt has always impressed those around him, selling for $260,000 as a yearling at Fasig-Tipton July before bringing $725,000 at this year’s OBS April 2-Year-Olds In Training Sale.
“He runs his races like he’s a year older than he is. He runs like an experienced, fit 3-year-old. He’s got a long, strong run. He showed it in all three of his starts. The way he finished up and the way he relaxes, I don’t see going two turns as a problem,” said Brown.
“It was a real strong run [in the stretch]. The horse that finished second [Tip Top Thomas] – he was a smart winner at Saratoga and the figure came back really fast. I was in the race with a horse that ran third that I hold in high regard, so I knew he was real that horse. Super race to set those fractions and still be there late in the race with this horse.”
Chancer McPatrick is one of two winners from three to race out of Bernadreamy, who is a daughter of the Grade 1 winning Dream Empress. That mare is also the granddam of four-time stakes winner Fireball Baby. This is a very successful family with Chancer McPatrick’s fourth dam Execution the matriarch of a family that also includes Grade 1 winners Bell’s The One, Prenup, and Yonaguska among a strong group of graded stakes winners.
Chancer McPatrick was the third winner of the day for MCKINZIE, who also had McKinzie Street entered in the American Pharoah S. (G1) at Santa Anita later on Saturday.