Ellis Park-based Waki Patriot third in New York’s Astoria 

‘They might not have known where the Bean Patch is, but they do now,’

says trainer John Hancock after his filly gets beat by a nose for second

Ellis Park-based Waki Patriot finished third, beaten a nose for second, in Thursday’s $150,000 Astoria Stakes for 2-year-old fillies in New York. Winning by 2 1/4 lengths in front-running fashion was I Still Miss You.

“We scared the heck of ’em, didn’t we? Bean Patch, Pea Patch. They might not have known where the Bean Patch is, but they do now,” joked Waki Patriot trainer John Hancock in reference to Ellis Park’s nickname inspired by the soybeans in the Henderson track’s infield. “Everybody around town was rooting and a hollerin’ and everybody on the backside up here at Churchill was rooting and hollering. We were all riding her.”

Hancock sent Waki Patriot up to fellow Kentucky trainer Brad Cox at Belmont Park because he had a horse in Thursday at Churchill Downs and has two 2-year-old fillies he really likes running Friday. He watched on television from the Churchill backside as 6-1 shot Waki Patriot swept even with the winner rounding out of the turn, but I Still Miss You was able to ease away late while covering five-eighths of a mile in a resolute 58.11 seconds.

Best Performance and Waki Patriot, who was on the inside under Paco Lopez, battled through the stretch, with Waki Patriot just missing the place spot. Both I Still Miss You and Best Performance won their prior start over the Belmont surface known as “Big Sandy,” a big edge over a young horse shipping in such as Waki Patriot.

“My heart was pounding,” said Hancock, a third-generation trainer stabled at Ellis Park who has lived in Henderson, Ky., his entire life and never before run a horse in New York. “At the quarter pole, I was thinking I had a chance to win it and that I’ll definitely be there the next time I run a horse up there. I like this New York stuff. I’ve got to go back. They ran in :58. The 2-year-old races they’ve had up there this meet haven’t been that fast. So this was a very fast race, from what I could tell. It was a really nice horse that win it, and a really nice horse that beat me a nose out of second. So I’m very proud of my filly.”

Waki Patriot was making her fourth start, having won at Keeneland in her second race, then finished a troubled fourth against boys in Churchill’s $100,000 Kentucky Juvenile. Second that day by a head was another Hancock-trained daughter of Awesome Patriot, Amberspatriot. Both Waki Patriot and Amberspatriot are owned by Hancock’s wife, Donna, and their long-time client Charles Brown. The fillies were acquired privately by Hancock from breeder Brandywine Farm after failing to sell at Keeneland’s September yearling auction last year when their top bids were $1,200 and $1,300, respectively.

“She ran big,” John Hancock said. “Can’t wait to get her home and freshened up a bit. If she ran like this, I can’t wait to run Amberspatriot in the Debutante here at three-quarters of a mile at Churchill. And I have another Awesome Patriot that looks like she’s got a lot of potential.”

The goal for Waki Patriot remains the $75,000 Ellis Park Debutante on Aug. 20, he said. “This sets her on ‘go.’”

Attached photo: Waki Patriot (#6 in center under Paco Lopez) got her nose in front at the top of the stretch of Thursday’s Astoria Stakes in New York. But I Still Miss You (rail) eased away late to win, with Best Performance (#7) nosing out Waki Patriot for second. Credit: Coglianese Photography

Media advisory: Ellis Park’s Call to the Post Media Day will be June 20 in Ellis Park’s Gardenia Room on the clubhouse second floor. Prominent Ellis jockeys and trainers will participate and be available for interviews (updates to come). Doors open at 11 a.m. Central. Official festivities kick off at 11:15 a.m., followed by buffet luncheon. Please RSVP to Kathy Griffith at kathyg@ellisparkracing.com.