Bold Journey possible for Riyadh Dirt Sprint

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Bold Journey could be making a bold journey for his next start.

Bold Journey, dominant winner of Saturday’s Gravesend Stakes at Aqueduct, is being considered for a Middle East trip for the Group 3, $1.5 million Riyadh Dirt Sprint, according to part-owner Adam Wachtel.

“If we got an invite I would want to go to Saudi Arabia,” said Wachtel, who co-owns Bold Journey with Pantofel Stable and Gary Barber. “I think he’s turned into a pretty serious horse. With all the retirements, there’s an opportunity in the division for him.”

Among the sprinters who have retired are Elite Power and Gunite, the 1-2 finishers from last year’s Riyadh Dirt Sprint who returned to the United States to remain atop the male sprint division the remainder of the year, finishing 1-2 in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint.

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Bold Journey, a New York-bred son of Hard Spun, earned a career-best 100 Beyer Speed Figure for his 4 1/2-length victory in the Gravesend. That was his third consecutive victory and second straight stakes success, having previously won the Grade 3 Fall Highweight.

Bill Mott, who trains Bold Journey – and who trained Elite Power – said the horse would most likely be shipped to his base at Payson Park in Florida in order to acclimate to the warmer weather. Mott also would like to evaluate the horse’s training before deciding whether to make such an ambitious trip.

“He’d have to be doing really well for us to want to go,” Mott said. “It’s a lofty goal without a doubt.”

Mott is sending Casa Creed to Saudi Arabia for a repeat try in the 1351 Turf Sprint, a race in which he finished second, beaten a head, last year.

Bold Journey was one of three winners sent out by Mott at Aqueduct over the final weekend of 2023.

On Sunday, he struck in back-to-back races with the 2-year-old Lambeth and the 6-year-old sprinter American Monarch.

Lambeth, a son of Arrogate, rallied from seventh to nose out McQueen in a one-mile maiden race. Lambeth ran a mile in 1:37.48 and earned a 70 Beyer. Mott said Lambeth may need a little time coming out of that race, so he has no set plan for him.

“Nothing serious, just baby stuff,” Mott said. “He ran well. He’s an Arrogate, he should go on a little further, but he might need a little time.”

American Monarch, on two occasions, has needed more than a little time. He has had layoffs of 13 and 19 months, respectively, but each time he has come back to win allowance races. On Sunday, he won a second-level allowance by a half-length, earning a 93 Beyer for the effort.

“He’s one of those horses we have all heard about that has had maladaptive bone disease, sometimes referred to as bone bruising,” Mott said. “I guess it shows that they can recover from that.”

Mott believes American Monarch, a son of American Pharoah, actually might be better on turf. He began his career on that surface, winning first time out at Saratoga in the summer of 2020. Though he won going long, Mott said American Monarch is probably better sprinting. Mott’s not sure if he will keep him in New York and remain on dirt or bring him down to Florida and put him back on turf.

“It’s a little bit of a dilemma,” Mott said. “He’s pretty quick, looks like that 5 1/2 furlongs [on turf] would suit him pretty well.”

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