Pat On The Back earns Grade 2 win in Kelso Handicap

In a Belmont Park feature that was supposed to feature Catholic Boy as the one to beat, Pat On The Back took advantage Saturday to win the Grade 2, $300,000 Kelso Handicap.

Pat On The Back, who has now won five straight Belmont Park starts, returned $9 to win the mile-long dirt stakes. Prince Lucky finished a half-length back in second and True Timber in third.

Monongahela broke from the inside post and set a :22.96 opening quarter running beside True Timber and Prince Lucky. That trio made the half-mile in :45.73 as Pat On The Back sat two lengths behind.

Jockey Dylan Davis pushed out four-wide heading into the stretch to find room for Pat On The Back. From there, the Jeremiah Englehart trainee carried home to score in 1:33.97.

"This is the best horse I've had in my career," Davis said. "I've been with him from when he was a 2-year-old, watching him grow. It was a little emotional galloping out.

"We're a team and we were pushing up the stages and both working a rank up."

Pat On The Back's team now has a choice to make for a next start. Options include the $300,000 Empire Classic Stakes on Oct. 19 back at Belmont or the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile on Nov. 2 at Santa Anita Park.

"I'm going to think about it this week," co-owner Harold Lerner said. "I'll have to speak with Jeremiah. We've never shipped this horse 3,000 miles. The Empire Classic was on our calendar towards the end of the meet and it'll be here at Belmont, so that's a big plus for us. I think we'll talk about it.

"How far we get in the conversation I'm not sure, but it'll be an interesting conversation to have."

Grade 1 winner Catholic Boy was expected to make the Kelso Handicap his first start since running second July 7 at Belmont in the Suburban (G2). But trainer Jonathan Thomas said this week the 4-year-old wasn’t 100 percent, and connections opted to bypass the race.