Pantofel Stable, Wachtel Stable and Gary Barber’s Bold Journey (Hard Spun – Polly Freeze, by Super Saver) rallied from last-of-5 to secure his second career graded score in the Grade 3, $175,000 Tom Fool Stakes at Aqueduct Racetrack Feb. 28, leading the slate of stakes-winning OBS graduates for the week.
(NYRA/Susie Raisher photo)
Trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott, the 7-year-old son of Hard Spun previously captured the Grade 3 Fall Highweight Handicap in 2023. On Saturday, he rallied down the outside of the track to get up and win by a nose with fellow OBS grad One Nine Hundred in third.
“He did his job today. He was able to get really comfortable,” winning jockey Eric Cancel told NYRA publicity. “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.”
Bold Journey was purchased by McMahon and Hill Bloodstock, agent for $80,000 out of the McKathan Bros. consignment at the 2021 OBS April Sale after breezing in :10 1/5.
At Fair Grounds Feb. 28, Black Hornet (Essential Quality-Brattata, by More Than Ready) tipped out in the stretch and ran down odds-on favorite Touch of Fire to win the $100,000 Black Gold Stakes.
Trained by Brendan Walsh and owned by Calumet Farm, the son of Essential Quality was purchased by his owner at the 2025 OBS March Sale for $120,000 from the Scanlon Training & Sales consignment after breezing in :10 1/5.
Saturday’s Fair Grounds card also saw Boss of All Bosses (Street Boss-Tensas Salt, by Salt Lake) take command in the final furlong to win the $100,000 Edward J. Johnston Memorial Stakes by 3 1/2 lengths for trainer Mike Maker. Owned by Paradise Farms Corp., David Staudacher, Angelo Carlesimo, and Gata Racing Stable, the colt was purchased by Maker for $90,000 at the 2024 OBS April Sale from the Grassroots Training and Sales consignment after breezing in :10 1/5.
On March 1 at Aqueduct, Winning Move Stable, John C. Oxley, Lady Sheila Stable, Silverwood Stables and Sanford H. Robbins’ With the Angels (Omaha Beach – Sister Margaret, by Pulpit) earned a 4 1/2-length score for her first open-company stakes victory in Sunday’s $135,000 Correction Stakes.
Trained by Linda Rice, the 4-year-old daughter of Omaha Beach adds to previous state-bred stakes success in the Joseph A. Gimma, Maid of the Mist and Key Cents as part of a 4-for-4 juvenile campaign in 2024. She was purchased by Justin Casse, agent out of the Wavertree Stables consignment at the 2024 OBS April Sale for $350,000 after breezing in :9 4/5.