Patches O'Houlihan wanders in stretch but holds off My Boy Prince to take Highlander
While very much a fan favorite at Woodbine, Patches O’Houlihan got a little too close to the fans - and gave his backers some worry - in the stretch of Saturday’s Grade 2 Highlander. With another fan favorite, My Boy Prince, trying to run him down, Patches O’Houlihan badly wandered toward the grandstand but still picked up a nose victory in the six-furlong race.
With Sofia Vives aboard for trainer Robert Tiller, Patches O’Houlihan led throughout and picked up his 10th stakes victory and seventh graded stakes. While mostly a synthetic specialist, it was Patches O’Houlihan’s third victory on turf, with his last coming in the Grade 2 Nearctic at Woodbine.
Patches O’Houlihan paid $3.60 as the favorite and Dresden Row ran on for third behind My Boy Prince, who was coming off a runner-up finish in the Grade 1 Jaipur at Saratoga.
Nassau
Ocean Club picked up a front-running victory to upset the Grade 2 Nassau at one mile on turf. Under Sofia Vives, who won both turf stakes Saturday, Ocean Club led into the stretch and held off a wall of horses to pick up her fourth stakes victory. Ocean Club won the Grade 3 Noble Damsel at Aqueduct last year when in the barn of Jack Sisterton.
Sent off at 12-1 Ocean Club paid $27.80. Ready for Shirl ran second, ahead of Blueberry Fields in third. Caitlinhergrtness, the 6-5 favorite, ran a disappointing eighth.
Dominion Day
Heading into Saturday, Triple Crown-winning jockey Victor Espinoza had just 26 mounts with two wins in 2025. In Saturday’s Grade 3 Dominion Day, Espinoza masterfully rode Funtastic Again to victory for trainer Wesley Ward.
Scratched from a stakes in Texas for this start, Funtastic Again held off Stanley House to win the 1 1/8-mile Tapeta race. Sent off the 7-2 second choice, Funtastic Again paid $9.60 and picked his first stakes win since 2023. Behind Stanley House, Bail Us Out finished third.
Marine
Mansetti got back in the win column in Saturday’s Grade 3 Marine over the Tapeta. The 1 1/16-mile race is a prep for the $1 million King’s Plate and trainer Kevin Attard said Mansetti would train up to that race.
Sent off at 5-1 Mansetti was always close to the pace under Pietro Moran and overtook War Signal at the top of the stretch. Mansetti won by one length over Scorching, who finished second and favored Megalodon finished third.
Selene
In her first start since being transferred from trainer Brad Cox to Josie Carroll, Serendipity picked up her first stakes victory in the 1 1/16-mile, Grade 3 Selene for 3-year-old fillies. The Selene was also Serendipity’s first time on Tapeta.
Sent off at 5-2, Serendipity paid $7.90, with Tiz Her Money finishing second and Somethinabouther finishing third.
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An avid horse racing fan and bettor, Michael Smith has developed a career in horse racing media as an editor and writer. A regular at Saratoga Race Course, Michael mainly covers New York racing but follows various other racing across the country and world.