Patches O’Houlihan Set for Showdown in Kennedy Road Stakes

Champion sprinter and multi-graded stakes winner Patches O’Houlihan is ready to take on five challengers in Saturday’s Grade 2 $175,000 bet365 Kennedy Road Stakes for 3-year-olds and up at Woodbine. The 4-year-old gelding, bred in Ontario, is a son of Reload and out of Maythefourthbwithu, a mare by Silent Name (JPN).

Patches O’Houlihan’s most recent victory came on October 5 in the Grade 2 $250,000 Nearctic Stakes, a six-furlong turf sprint. Ridden by last year’s champion apprentice, Sofia Vives, the gelding displayed his hallmark determination. Vives noted that he’s almost human-like in his intelligence, remarking on his instinct for finding the finish line and his incredible heart.

With the Nearctic win, Patches O’Houlihan boasts a career record of 11 wins from 13 starts, amassing $666,674 in earnings. This year alone, he’s gone unbeaten in four races, including two Grade 3 wins in the Bold Venture and Vigil Stakes, cementing his status as Canada’s reigning champion male sprinter.

Trainer Bob Tiller, a member of the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame, spoke highly of the bay gelding, describing him as a blessing and comparing him to his former champion Pink Lloyd. Tiller praised the horse’s fighting spirit, highlighting his refusal to give up and his innate drive to win. Patches O’Houlihan began his career with a commanding victory in September 2022 and went on a six-race winning streak from May to September 2023. His only defeats were in the 2022 Bull Page Stakes and last year’s Kennedy Road Stakes, where he finished sixth and fifth, respectively.

Saturday’s competition includes Nobals, a seasoned multiple graded stakes winner who claimed the 2022 Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint at Santa Anita. The 5-year-old son of Noble Mission (GB), trained by Larry Rivelli for Patricia’s Hope LLC, previously won the Woodstock Stakes at Woodbine and boasts earnings of over $1.5 million with 10 victories from 21 starts.

As Patches O’Houlihan looks to add another triumph to his impressive resume, fans and connections alike are eager to see if his relentless drive and proven talent will shine once again in the Kennedy Road Stakes.