Photo: Adam Coglianese
Making his third lifetime start on Sunday, Barry Schwartz’ Bold Deed secured a front-running victory in Aqueduct’s featured $60,000 Packett’s Landing Stakes for New York-bred three-year-olds, holding firm against pace pressure from Dr Disco and warding off a late threat by Tap Attack.
Bold Deed, by former New York stallion Anasheed, debuted by running second in a sprint while putting in a solid ground-closing effort. In his next start, while stretching out to one mile and 70 yards around two turns, Bold Deed got the job done, breaking his maiden decisively by 6 ¼ lengths, and showing a good Beyer progression from 74 to 80. Trainer Mike Hushion regarded the move to a one-turn mile in Packett’s Landing a good challenge for the developing gelding: “I think it’s difficult when you go the other way, from two turns to one,” Hushion said. “I like the one turn; it gives everybody a chance. It takes a lot of the excuses out of the game.”
Bold Deed went to the gate on Saturday with Channing Hill aboard a second consecutive time as the public’s second choice at odds of 9-to-5. Taking the bulk of the money at 3-to-5 was the speedy Dr Disco, who was drawn in the inside post under Mike Luzzi. Dr Disco, who scratched from Grade 3 $200,000 Bay Shore on Saturday to race in this spot, had won three of five starts, most recently taking a second-level state-bred allowance race over the inner track on March 17. Completing the field, which was scratched down to five after the defection of Schoolyard Cat and Surfactant, were third choice Gold Raptor, fourth choice Tap Attack (12-to-1) and longshot Jitalian.
Dr Disco and Bold Deed were quickest out of the gate from the two inside posts, with Dr Disco ceding the lead to Bold Deed as they came out of the long one-mile chute. For the run up the backstretch Luzzi took Dr Disco off the rail as they tracked Bold Deed, while Gold Raptor raced in third at the rail. Tap Attack ran in fourth in the two path.
After rapid early fractions of 22.84 and 45.38, Dr Disco moved up on even terms with Bold Deed through the turn. The two ran stride-for-stride right up until the furlong marker, at which point Bold Deed began to edge away. He completely cleared Dr Disco by the sixteenth pole, but then had to face an assault launched by Tap Attack racing down the middle of the racetrack. Tap Attack overhauled Dr Disco, but fell short of collaring Bold Deed, who won by a neck. Completing the order of finish were Jitalian and Gold Raptor. After three quarters of a mile in 1:09.41, the final time for the mile over the fast going was 1:35.76. [VIDEO]
Bold Deed, whose record now stands at 2-1-0 from three starts, with earnings of $67,000, was bred in New York by Stonewall Farm, where he was foaled. He is the one of three foals to start – all New York-bred winners – out of the unraced Unbridled’s Song mare Boltono, who was purchased by Barry Schwartz for $77,000 at the 2003 Keeneland November Breeding Stock sale. Her other progeny, four-year-old Magical Solution by Storming Fever, won the 2010 Niagara Stakes at Finger Lakes, and Critical Cathy by Gold Token was a six-figure earner of $121,830. Bold Deed’s sire Anasheed stood for Questroyal Stud at Dutchess Views Farm in Pine Plains from 2007 to 2010 before moving to Russia.
