New ownership high on Gander contender Bold Journey
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – On multiple fronts, Adam Wachtel and his partners appeared to have made a shrewd purchase when they bought the New York-bred colt Bold Journey shortly after his second-place finish on debut last November.
First, the purchase was finalized days before Bold Journey’s half-brother Americanrevolution won the Grade 1 Cigar Mile, a result that likely would have inflated the purchase price. Second, on Dec. 18, Bold Journey romped to a 6 3/4-length victory in a New York-bred maiden race. That result was flattered when Golden Code, second to Bold Journey on Dec. 18, came back last Saturday to win his maiden by 10 3/4 lengths.
Saturday, Bold Journey will make his stakes debut going one mile in the $100,000 Gander Stakes for New York-breds.
Wachtel partnered with Gary Barber and Team Penney Racing to buy into Bold Journey. Seidman Stables, the original owners of the horse, did stay in for a piece. Trained by Carlos Martin for his first race, Bold Journey is now in the barn of Bill Mott.
:: Want to start playing with a $510 bankroll and have access to free Formulator? Learn more
Wachtel, a big sheets guy, said that Bold Journey, a son of Hard Spun, had run a particularly fast number (10 Ragozin), which enticed him to buy the horse. Wachtel said he repeated that figure in his maiden victory. On the Beyer scale, Bold Journey was given a 78 for his first start and an 84 for his maiden win.
Wachtel said the initial plan was to run Bold Journey in a New York-bred allowance race and then perhaps the Grade 3 Gotham on March 5, but a fever forced Bold Journey to miss the allowance.
“If he runs well [Saturday], the Gotham’s certainly a possibility,” said Wachtel, who was part-owner of Smokin Mel, the 1997 Gotham winner. “All he’s done is gone six furlongs so far. The pedigree suggests that he should stretch out. We got to see how he does it and hopefully he’ll show us he’s more than a six-furlong horse, which we think he is.”
Bold Journey, who will be ridden by Kendrick Carmouche, drew the outside post in the seven-horse field. Stakes winners Geno (post 6) and Barese (post 5) are drawn immediately inside of him. Doin’ittherightway, winner of the Tin Cup Chalice at Finger Lakes last year, and maiden winners Bossmakinbossmoves, G Munning and Cut the Cord complete the field.