Congrat’s multiple stakes winner Pat On the Back held off a late rush from Can You Diggit to capture the featured $300,000 Empire Classic H. Oct. 20 at Belmont Park.
The 4-year-old colt now has five lifetime stakes wins and has earned $727,532 for trainer Jeremiah Englehart and owners Harold Lerner, AWC Stables and Nehoc Stables.
Ridden by Dylan Davis, who has been aboard for all of his stakes wins, Pat On the Back came away in good order from post 9 for the long run up the backstretch in the 1 1/8-mile contest. Davis waited patiently just behind the leaders until there was a quarter-mile to run, when he swung three-wide to sweep to the lead. Strong through the stretch, Pat On the Back came home a comfortable winner in 1:49.76 on a fast track.
“This was a great way to end a fantastic day. This horse belongs to Dylan, he just knows the horse so well and it showed again here today with the effort he gave,” said Lerner.
Bred by Sugar Maple Farm, Pat On the Back is a brother to seven winners. Besides Pat On the Back, Congrats 2018 stakes winners include Jupiter Gold (AUS), winner of the Grade 1 Singapore Derby, and Silverbulletday S. winner Stronger Than Ever.
