New York-bred Bold Journey up in time in G3 Tom Fool

Pantofel Stable, Wachtel Stable and Gary Barber’s New York-bred Bold Journey rallied from last-of-5 to secure his second career graded score in Saturday’s Grade 3, $175,000 Tom Fool, a six-furlong sprint for older horses, at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott with Eric Cancel up, the 7-year-old Hard Spun gelding put together a hat trick of wins here in 2023, taking an optional-claimer, the Grade 3 Fall Highweight Handicap and Listed Gravesend in back-to-back months before shipping overseas in February 2024 to run third in the Group 3 Riyadh Dirt Sprint in Saudi Arabia.

Bold Journey went winless in a dozen starts since, including five seconds and two third-place finishes before his determined effort here to nose out last year’s Tom Fool-winner Full Moon Madness.

“They kind of counted him out at 10-1, which I thought was kind of silly. He’s a super cool horse, and we’re happy and proud to have him in the barn,” said Leana Willaford, Mott’s Belmont Park-based assistant.

Breslau, the 14-1 longest shot on the board in the field of five, broke alertly from the inside post and marked the opening quarter-mile in 22.40 seconds over the good and harrowed main track with 2-5 favorite One Nine Hundred pressing from second position.

One Nine Hundred took over approaching the quarter-pole as Breslau retreated with the Reylu Gutierrez-piloted Full Moon Madness ranging into contention and Bold Journey still last-of-5 after a half-mile in 45.52.

“To be honest, at the beginning, they kind of got away from me a little bit,” Cancel said. “I knew that was going to happen. I tried to engage him a little bit to try to stay as close as I could. He did his job today. He was able to get really comfortable. By the three-eighths [pole], he started picking it up little by little. Once we turned for home, I still had some horse, and he gave his all out there."

Full Moon Madness doggedly chased the speedy One Nine Hundred from the top of the lane and enjoyed a brief moment in front in the late stages, but Bold Journey, ears pinned, rallied powerfully down the outside of the track to get up and win by a nose in a final time of 1:10.70. It was three-quarter-lengths back to One Nine Hundred in third with Acoustic Ave and Breslau rounding out the order of finish.

Cancel said the swift early splits benefitted Bold Journey.

"I knew they were going to be going pretty quick up there,” Cancel said. “I just was hoping for the pace to give way at the end, which it did. It actually went to our favor and we got the victory. I'm really pleased and happy with it.”

Gutierrez said the Michelle Nevin-trained Full Moon Madness was unlucky.

“I was the happiest man in the world when I was able to settle my horse off that pace duel. That's what I wanted. Man, everything went according to plan, just the wrong head bob,” Gutierrez said.

Cancel was full of praise for the veteran Bold Journey, who is now just shy of $1 million in career purse earnings with $997,253 after banking $96,250 in victory to improve his record to 34-8-11-3.

"He's a really cool horse,” Cancel said. “He always comes 100 percent ready to run. He's already 7-years-old. It is tough for a lot of horses to keep it going at his age, but he still has it in him. As long as he keeps giving it to you, he's going to be here."

Bred in the Empire State by Fred W. Hertrich, III and John D. Fielding, Bold Journey returned $23.34 for a $2 win bet.

Live racing resumes Sunday at the Big A with an eight-race card featuring the $135,000 Correction in Race 7. First post is 1:10 p.m. Eastern.   

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