Barese passes Bold Journey in final furlong of Gander

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Bold Journey had put away his pace challenger, G Munning, and in midstretch had a four-length lead under Kendrick Carmouche and looked every bit the 4-5 favorite the betting public made him in Saturday’s $100,000 Gander Stakes at Aqueduct.

But inside the final furlong, Bold Journey basically stopped and Barese, under Dylan Davis, rolled on by to win the Gander for New York-bred 3-year-olds by 1 1/4 lengths. Bold Journey finished second by 5 1/4 lengths over Geno. Doin’ittherightway, Cut the Cord, Bossmakinbossmoves, and G Munning completed the order of finish.

The win was the third in as many starts for Barese, a son of Laoban owned by Peter Proscia’s Paradise Farms Corp. and David Staudacher and trained by Mike Maker.

Barese won despite bobbling at the start and losing his left front shoe, according to Davis.

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“For a horse to do that and run like he did, he ran a great race,” Davis said.

It was Barese’s second straight stakes win after returning from a seven-month layoff owing to a knee chip discovered in July. Barese successfully stretched out to a mile in the Gander after winning last month’s Rego Park at 6 1/2 furlongs.

Davis, who rode Barese for the first time in the Rego Park, said he learned that the horse takes a little while to get going. In the middle of the turn, after a half-mile was run in 47.64 seconds, Davis had Barese in second, behind Bold Journey. Coming to the quarter pole, Bold Journey opened up on Barese and Davis thought he was riding for second place.

“It takes him a little while to get his run going and once he does and lays it down there - and he did lay it down again the last eighth of a mile – he stretched out nicely and he gets the job done,” Davis said.

Barese covered the mile in 1:39.26 and returned $7.50 as the second choice.

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Barese is nominated to the Triple Crown. Proscia said he would consult with Maker before deciding what might be next.

Bold Journey was sent off the heavy favorite off a 6 3/4-length victory in a six-furlong maiden race on Dec. 18. Carmouche worked the horse early in the week and loved what he felt. He said he didn’t feel the same horse on Saturday.

“I felt like going around there today like he was loping, he never picked it up, he never slowed down, he just stayed the same,” Carmouche said. “I think with maturity he’s going to get better.”