Bold Journey gets perfect set up to take Fall Highweight

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – A race that looked to set up for him on paper, went exactly that way for Bold Journey on the racetrack as the 4-year-old New York-bred rallied from last under Jose Ortiz to win Friday’s Grade 3, $200,000 Fall Highweight Handicap by one length at Aqueduct.

Sitting last behind a solid pace set by Durante and pressed by Win for Gold, Bold Journey was eight lengths out of it after an opening quarter run in 22.68 seconds. Durante, with his head cocked some, ran a quarter then took some heat from Win for Gold after a half-mile in 46.06.

Ortiz guided Bold Journey several paths wide around the turn into the stretch and though he was extremely late to change leads, Bold Journey corralled Durante 50 yards from the wire and edged clear.

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Durante, ridden by Manny Franco, finished second by 1 1/2 lengths over Rotknee who was third by a head over Cowan. Win for Gold, the pace-presser, finished last of five as Sir Alfred James was scratched.

Bold Journey, who under 128 pounds was carrying six fewer than Durante, covered the six furlongs in 1:10.91 and returned $6.20 as the second wagering choice.

“Going around the turn, as far back as he was, I thought they better be going fast because we got a lot to do,” said Adam Wachtel, who owns Bold Journey along with Len Schleifer. “He’s his own worst enemy, he doesn’t switch leads until very late … I thought he won kind of handily.”

Bold Journey won for the sixth time from 19 starts. He is now 4 for 5 going six furlongs over a fast Aqueduct main track.

It was the first stakes win for Bold Journey and the first victory in the Fall Highweight for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott, who won his 25th graded stakes of the year.

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