“We were very proud of his effort and he came out of the race in good order,” trainer Brad Cox said by phone Monday. “So we packed him up, he landed safely in Dubai, and we are leaning towards the Godolphin Mile.”

The grey colt saw out nine furlongs well enough to take out last year's GI Pennsylvania Derby, and although well-beaten in the GI Breeders' Cup Classic, rebounded with a strong victory in the GIII Louisiana S. to punch his ticket to Riyadh. Hard-sent to the lead in the Saudi Cup, Saudi Crown covered the opening 800 meters in :46.01–with no run-up–and held on stubbornly to be right in the finish. But it will be less distance and not more on Mar. 30.

“When you're running against the best horses in the world,” Cox said, “we think that the answer to that question is to run him over a mile.”

Among the horses he could face is defending champion Isolate (Mark Valeski), a meritorious sixth in the Saudi Cup.

Saudi Crown!!
Points The Godolphin Mile @DubaiWorldCup @RacingDubai
Let's Goo Champ!! pic.twitter.com/nZW3xiNCVW

— FMQ Stables, Inc. (@FMQStables) February 26, 2024

As a result of his outstanding third-place effort behind Japan's Remake (Jpn) (Lani) and top American sprinter Skelly (Practical Joke) in Saturday's G3 Riyadh Dirt Sprint, Pantofel Stable, Adam Wachtel and Gary Barber's Bold Journey (Hard Spun) has been invited to run in the G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen Mar. 30. The 5-year-old arrived in the Emirates in good order Monday, Wachtel said.

“He came out of the race in good order, little bit scraped up, there was a little collision there at the gate, but nothing at all serious,” Wachtel said of the Bill Mott trainee.

The New York-bred, who was briefly on the Triple Crown trail in 2022, has found his best form over six furlongs, and won three straight in the Big Apple in late fall and early winter, including the GIII Fall Highweight H. Nov. 24 and the Dec. 30 Gravesend S. He settled well back in the run in the Riyadh Dirt Sprint, as Skelly locked horns with the top Saudi-based sprinter Rebellious Stage (Justify), but came with a solid rally nearer the inside to fill third spot, beaten three lengths for all of it.

“We thought if he performed well he might get an invite and that it might make some sense for a couple of reasons: we are already kind of there and we established that he is a serious sprinter,” Wachtel said. “I feel like he's improving and he did us very proud and I think he earned the right to run in a race like [the Golden Shaheen].”

Wachtel is looking forward to the opportunity, even if pre-existing commitments will mean he will be in abstentia.

Bold Journey and Saudi Crown galloping in Riyadh | Horsephotos

“We're pretty excited about it, he seems to be turning into the horse we'd hoped he would,” Wachtel said. “I don't know if he's good enough to do what he just did in Dubai, but we think it's a great move. I hope that at the end of the year, we're in the conversation as one of the best sprinters in the country.  Hopefully he'll take to Dubai as he did to Saudi Arabia and he'll come running down the lane.”

The Wachtel part-owned and Mott-conditioned Long On Value (Value Plus) missed by a zop in the 2017 G1 Al Quoz Sprint, while Gray Magician (Graydar), also campaigned by Wachtel in partnership, completed a U.S.-bred 1-2 behind Plus Que Parfait (Point of Entry) in the 2019 G2 UAE Derby.

Skelly, a game second after making the running last Saturday, is booked on a Chicago-bound flight this coming Thursday and will therefore pass on the Golden Shaheen, trainer Steve Asmussen said Monday.

“I thought he gave it a great effort. We want to get him back in a winning spot and there is a valuable spot at Oaklawn to do just that,” Asmussen said, likely referring to the $500,000 GIII Count Fleet Sprint H. Apr. 13. “We were very proud of his effort, but we thought it was very important to get him back winning and he's won seven in a row at Oaklawn. If he had won, we would probably have gone on, but he didn't, so we'll bring him back home.”

Asmussen indicated that the same two-race sequence in the Middle East in a strong possibility for 2025.

Among those also returning to the states are Saudi Cup fourth National Treasure (Quality Road) to point for a summer campaign; narrow Saudi Derby runner-up Book'em Danno (Bucchero), who is reportedly headed to the $600,000 GII Pat Day Mile on the Kentucky Derby undercard May 4; and White Abarrio (Race Day), 10th in the Saudi Cup who has a repeat in the GI Whitney S. as a long-term objective.

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Bred in Ontario by Ivan Dalos's Tall Oaks Farm, Channel Maker was a stakes winner at two for trainer Danny Vella and took the 2017 Breeders' S. He was a Grade I winner each year from 2018 to 2020, scoring his first such victory in the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic before adding the Man O'War S. in 2019 and the Sword Dancer and a second Joe Hirsch the following year. He was also a close third in the GI Breeders' Cup Turf en route to his championship.

A gallant second in the $1-million Neom Turf Cup in Saudi Arabia at the outset of his 7-year-old season, Channel Maker retained his zest for racing into the latter part of his career, winning the GII Elkhorn S. in the spring of 2022 and this year's GII Bowling Green S. at Saratoga in gate-to-wire fashion. He retired with a record of 10-6-5 from 56 starts for earnings of $3,915,983.

“I've idolized Channel Maker ever since I first laid eyes on him devouring the field in the 2020 Sword Dancer at Saratoga,” said Michael Blowen, president and founder of Old Friends. “He arrived at Old Friends covered in dapples and in spectacular condition. Our deepest thanks to Adam and his partners, and to trainer Bill Mott, for allowing us to show him off to his legion of fans. We are honored.”

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“It's crazy,” said Baby Yoda's co-owner Adam Wachtel. “It's hard to rationalize or accept. It's highly unusual to see something like this. He ran for $10,000 nine weeks ago and for him to go out an accomplish what he did in such a short period of time is just not something that you see. It makes you shake your head.”

Wachtel admits he wasn't paying any attention to Baby Yoda when the 3-year-old gelding made his debut May 30 at Pimlico for trainer Charles Frock and owner Gerald Burns. Baby Yoda won by eight lengths that day, but posted a moderate Beyer number of 69.

He came back in a first-level allowance race at Pimlico and ran third, but this was the race that got Wachtel to take notice. He is always on the lookout for horses that are off the radar but running fast numbers. Baby Yoda ran a 10 1/2 on the Ragozin Sheets, which, Wachtel felt, was good enough to compete against all 3-year-old sprinters not named Jackie's Warrior (Maclean's Music).

“We look at numbers with Len Friedman of Ragozin data,” Wachtel explained. “We go over horses each week. Forget about the race where he broke his maiden for $10,000. I didn't even look at that. When he finished third in the 'a other than' in Maryland he ran a great race. A friend of mine says that I buy a lot of Rocky Balboas. This guy fit into that category. The sire was a darn good race horse. I know he hasn't been an exciting stallion. But there was enough there and I really liked the replay.”

Wachtel had his vet go over the horse and had his agent reach out to the Maryland connections. Within a few days he had acquired Baby Yoda for an undisclosed price. Whatever it was, it is no doubt among the most anyone ever paid for a son of Prospective. Now standing in Korea after beginning his stud career at Ocala Stud, Prospective's biggest win came in the 2012 GII Tampa Bay Derby.

The new ownership group, which also includes Pantofel Stable and Jerold Zaro, sent Baby Yoda to Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott and kept its fingers crossed. Ironically, they had the Florida-bred pegged as a future turf horse and entered him in a starter allowance at Saratoga on the grass, but the race did not fill. Plan B was a dirt starter allowance July 17 and the result was a 1 1/4-length win.

Baby Yoda fans | Sarah Andrew

At that point, Wachtel's expectations were still not sky high. Winning a starter allowance only proves so much. But, after talking to Mott, he started to look at things differently.

“After Mott had had him for about 10 days, two weeks, I asked him, 'Bill, what do you think about this horse?' He said, 'I love him.' I said, 'Come on, really?'” Wachtel said. “Bill said it again. He told me that the horse was really neat, had a lot of talent and was a runner. Bill doesn't usually make statements like that, so for him to say what he did made me think this horse might really be alright.”

The Sept. 4 allowance brought together a deep field of 10 and several among the group seemed to have potential. Ridden by Jose Ortiz, Baby Yoda won by 4 1/4 lengths and completed the 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:14.33. The time of the race took on a whole new level of significance when the Beyer number came out. The only other horse to run a 114 Beyer this year is Flightline (Tapit). His big figure, ironically, also came in a first-level allowance race, a sprint at Del Mar the day after Baby Yoda's race. Among 3-year-olds, Essential Quality (Tapit) is next on the Beyer list, with a 109 from his victory in the GI Belmont S. Knicks Go (Paynter) ran a 113 Beyer in the GIII Prairie Meadows Cornhusker H.

Baby Yoda's Ragozin number in the Saratoga allowance was a 4 3/4.

“I've been doing this a long time and have had a lot of good horses but that, what he did, kind of blew me away,” Wachtel said. “I was unbelievably impressed and thrilled.”

Wachtel is reasonable enough to know that there's every chance this fairy tale will go off in another direction.

“Is he a freak or will he regress from that race? I don't know,” he said.

Nonetheless, the plan is to give Baby Yoda the type of test that a 114 Beyer seems to deserve. Wachtel said the next race will be in a stakes and said the GI Vosburgh S. and the GII Stoll Keenon Ogden Phoenix S. at Keeneland are among the possibilities.

“I've always been a guy who looks at data and how fast they have run,” Wachtel said. “Every race he has run over his last three races have been really fast and, the other day, he did it easily. I will rely on my Hall of Fame trainer to tell me how well he is doing. If he continues to train well, why not take a shot with him in a stakes?”

Why not? It's not logical that a $10,000 maiden claimer could win a graded stakes race, but what about this story is?

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Gayle Benson established GMB Racing Stables in 2014 with her husband, Tom Benson. Horses campaigned by GMB Racing include Grade 1 winner Tom's d'Etat and graded stakes winners Tom's Ready, Mo Tom, and Lone Sailor. She owns Benson Farm in Paris, Kentucky, which is active in Thoroughbred breeding and sales, having more than 20 broodmares on the farm. Benson is the only female owner to solely own an NFL and NBA franchise, providing leadership for the New Orleans Saints (NFL) and New Orleans Pelicans (NBA). Through the Tom and Gayle Benson Foundation, her sports organizations, and other business enterprises, Benson annually puts tens of millions of dollars back into the community in financial support, in-kind donation, charitable appearances, and donations of goods and services. Benson also oversees Benson Capital Partners, a multi-million dollar investment arm deploying millions to start-up businesses in the state of Louisiana and the Gulf South.

Dr. Jeffrey Berk is a past president of the American Association of Equine Practitioners and current chair of their Racing Committee. He began his career as an attending veterinarian at Thistledown Racetrack near Cleveland, Ohio, before starting his own practice in Ocala, Florida. He ran the practice for 19 years before merging with and becoming a partner in Ocala Equine Hospital in 2000. In 2010, he joined Equine Medical Associates PSC in Lexington, Kentucky, where, in addition to his sales work, he does pro bono work for New Vocations Racehorse Adoption Program.

Drew Fleming is the president and chief executive officer of Breeders' Cup Limited. He spearheads the general day-to-day operations of the company, including host track relations, long-term planning and business growth, finance, sponsorships, marketing, and legal. Prior to joining the Breeders' Cup, Fleming practiced corporate law, focusing on mergers and acquisitions. Fleming serves on the board and executive council of the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities, the board of the National Thoroughbred Racing Association and chairs its Governance Committee, and the board of the Thoroughbred Safety Coalition.

Kevin Lavin is a partner and the director of Equine Insurance at Sterling Thompson Company. He also serves as vice chairman of Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation. He was a past director of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association, Kentucky Derby Museum, Backside Learning Center at Churchill Downs, Thoroughbred Club of America, Longfield Farm, and Lavin Bloodstock Services.

Anthony Manganaro founded Siena Farm, located in Paris, Kentucky, with partners Nacho Patino and David Pope. He is the founder of Siena Corporation, a real estate development company based in the Baltimore/Washington corridor, and Boston Medical, an international medical supply company based in Columbia, Maryland. Horses raced by Siena Farm alone or in partnership include Kentucky Derby winner Always Dreaming; Travers Stakes winner Catholic Boy; Grade 1 winners Angela Renee, Bal a Bali (BRZ), and Dayoutoftheoffice; Grade 2 winners Isabella Sings and Royal Ship (BRZ); and Grade 3 winner First Captain.

Adam Wachtel is a longtime owner and breeder, racing under Wachtel Stables. Top horses he has raced in partnership include Breeders' Cup winners Tourist and Vequist and Grade 1 winners Bolo, Channel Maker, Exaggerator, Ron the Greek, Sharla Rae, and Spiced Perfection. Outside of racing, he is involved in private equity investments.

The Jockey Club, founded in 1894 and dedicated to the improvement of Thoroughbred breeding and racing, is the breed registry for North American Thoroughbreds. In fulfillment of its mission, The Jockey Club, directly or through subsidiaries, provides support and leadership on a wide range of important industry initiatives, and it serves the information and technology needs of owners, breeders, media, fans and farms. It founded America's Best Racing (americasbestracing.net), the broad-based fan development initiative for Thoroughbred racing, and in partnership with the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association, operates OwnerView (ownerview.com), the ownership resource. Additional information is available at jockeyclub.com.

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Gayle Benson established GMB Racing Stables in 2014 with her husband, Tom Benson. Horses campaigned by GMB Racing include Grade I winner Tom's d'Etat (Smart Strike) and graded stakes winners Tom's Ready (More Than Ready), Mo Tom (Uncle Mo) and Lone Sailor (Majestic Warrior). She owns Benson Farm in Paris, KY, which is active in Thoroughbred breeding and sales, having more than 20 broodmares on the farm. Benson is the only female to solely own an NFL and NBA franchise, providing leadership for the New Orleans Saints (NFL) and New Orleans Pelicans (NBA). Through the Tom and Gayle Benson Foundation, her sports organizations, and other business enterprises, Benson annually puts tens of millions of dollars back into the community in financial support, in-kind donation, charitable appearances, and donations of goods and services. Benson also oversees Benson Capital Partners, a multi-million-dollar investment arm deploying millions to start-up businesses in the state of Louisiana and the Gulf South.

Dr. Jeffrey Berk is a past president of the American Association of Equine Practitioners and current chair of their Racing Committee. He began his career as an attending veterinarian at Thistledown Racetrack near Cleveland, OH before starting his own practice in Ocala, FL. He ran the practice for 19 years before merging with and becoming a partner in Ocala Equine Hospital in 2000. In 2010, he joined Equine Medical Associates PSC in Lexington, KY, where, in addition to his sales work, he does pro bono work for New Vocations Racehorse Adoption Program.

Drew Fleming is the president and chief executive officer of Breeders' Cup Limited. He spearheads the general day-to-day operations of the company, including host track relations, long-term planning and business growth, finance, sponsorships, marketing and legal. Prior to joining the Breeders' Cup, Fleming practiced corporate law, focusing on mergers and acquisitions. Fleming serves on the board and executive council of the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities, the board of the National Thoroughbred Racing Association and chairs its Governance Committee and the board of the Thoroughbred Safety Coalition.

Kevin Lavin is a partner and the director of Equine Insurance at Sterling Thompson Company. He also serves as vice chairman of Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation. He was a past director of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association, Kentucky Derby Museum, Backside Learning Center at Churchill Downs, Thoroughbred Club of America, Longfield Farm and Lavin Bloodstock Services.

Anthony Manganaro founded Siena Farm, located in Paris, KY, with partners Nacho Patino and David Pope. He is also the founder of Siena Corporation, a real estate development company based in the Baltimore/Washington corridor; and Boston Medical, an international medical supply company based in Columbia, MD. Horses raced by Siena Farm alone or in partnership include Kentucky Derby winner Always Dreaming (Bodemeister); Travers winner Catholic Boy (More Than Ready); additional Grade I winners Angela Renee (Bernardini), Bal a Bali (Brz) (Put It Back) and Dayoutoftheoffice (Into Mischief); Grade II winners Isabella Sings (Eskendereya) and Royal Ship (Brz) (Midshipman); and Grade III winner First Captain (Curlin).

Adam Wachtel is a longtime owner and breeder, racing under Wachtel Stables. Top horses he has raced in partnership include Breeders' Cup winners Tourist (Tiznow) and Vequist (Nyquist) and Grade I winners Bolo (Temple City), Channel Maker (English Channel), Exaggerator (Curlin), Ron the Greek (Full Mandate), Sharla Rae (Afleet Alex) and Spiced Perfection (Smiling Tiger). Outside of racing, he is involved in private equity investments.

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“She did very well this morning,” confirmed Reid, Jr. “I had her galloping out in 1:01 and 2, and in about 1:15 [three quarters]. She's fitter than I thought she was. She's actually a little ahead of schedule. I wanted her ready to go five-eighths on the first of August and she's a little ahead of that. I'm very happy with her progress. She's coming along nicely. If everything works out, she could run here before the end of the meet.”

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“Unfortunately, I never made it to one single race–I haven't been to a race in 14 months,” said Adam Wachtel. “There was some time in the spring where there was no racing, and it was frustrating not knowing where to send a horse and what to do with them. There was some uncertainty, but the industry did a great job in keeping racing going. Overall, it didn't impact my decision making. I was still able to go out and find some talent, make some deals and continue with business as usual. In the end, 2020 wound up being a great for us.”

Highlighting the 2020 racing season, Vequist, who Wachtel campaigns in partnership with Gary Barber and the filly's breeder, Tom McGrath's Swilcan Stable, capped her juvenile campaign with a confident two-length win over Dayoutoftheoffice (Into Mischief) in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies at Keeneland Nov. 6. Trained by Robert 'Butch' Reid Jr., the filly also annexed the GI Spinaway S. and finished runner up to Dayoutoftheoffice in the GI Frizette S. in October.

“Win or lose, we knew after the Breeders' Cup we were going to give her some time off and point her to the GI Kentucky Oaks [in May],” explained Wachtel. “She ran so well in the Breeders' Cup that just seemed like the logical thing to do.”

“Butch decided to relocate down to Florida for the winter, and I think she had a lot to do with it, because he's essentially a Philly-based trainer. We sent her down to Ocala to get a little rest and start her back up there. She then went to South Florida to Butch.”

Returning to the races for the first time in 2021, Vequist encountered a setback in her sophomore campaign in last Saturday's GII Davona Dale S. at Gulfstream and finished ninth.

“She came out of the race sound,” confirmed Wachtel. “She had mucous upon scoping her after the race. We'll get that cleaned up, regroup, and let her tell us when she's ready to race again.”

Following her Breeders' Cup win, the tentative plan was for her to head to Kentucky to make her next start at Keeneland, the site of her Breeders' Cup victory.

“We wanted to work backwards from the Oaks, so we decided we'd try and give her two races, hoping that she'd stay healthy and everything would go well leading up to the Oaks,” said Wachtel. “There is no specific target at this point.”

While there appeared to be a general consensus that Vequist would take home a divisional title in 2020, it didn't appear to be as cut and dry for Channel Maker. Campaigned by Wachtel, Gary Barber, Randy Hill and Dean Reeves, the Ontario-bred won two of eight starts in 2020–the GI Sword Dancer S. at Saratoga in August followed by Belmont's GI Turf Classic Invitational S. in October. However, it was the result of the Nov. 7 GI Breeders' Cup Turf that, somewhat surprisingly, may have clinched the title for the Bill Mott trainee. Sent off at 9-1 in the $4-million test, the chestnut took to the front and was overtaken late to be close-up third behind a pair of formidable fillies–Tarnawa (Ire) (Shamardal {Ire}) and Magical (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), both receiving three pounds from their male counterpart.

“It took two really special European fillies–who had a big weight advantage–to run him down and he was clearly the best of the North American horses,” he said.

When asked about his thoughts regarding Channel Maker earning the title over a pair of European horses who beat his horse home in the Breeders' Cup, Wachtel asserted, “I don't think it's right for a horse to come to the United States, run once and take home the Eclipse Award. Whether it was Channel Maker or another horse, I'm glad it was a North American-based horse. And I do believe he really earned it. I would have been disappointed for him and the other partners if he hadn't won it.”

Ever the world traveler, Channel Maker, who missed an intended start at last year's cancelled Dubai World Cup Carnival because of the COVID-19 outbreak, kicked off 2021 with a second-place effort behind another filly–True Self (Ire) (Oscar {Ire})–in the Neom Turf Cup at King Abdulaziz Racecourse in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

“From there, Channel Maker will go to [G1] Dubai (Sheema Classic Mar. 27) and then make maybe one start at Belmont before going to Saratoga. After that, hopefully, we can point him back to the Breeders' Cup [at Del Mar].”

And, the key to the 7-year-old's longevity?

“He's been great since he's a 2-year-old,” said Wachtel. “We've tried to do the right thing by him in spreading out his races. That's a big part of my philosophy that you treat them right. You run them at the right time and take care of them, and they will reward you. And he really has.”

All in the Family

Wachtel received his earliest lessons about racing from his father, Edwin Wachtel, a prominent owner/breeder in New York dating back to the 1970s. The senior Wachtel campaigned New York-bred stalwarts Calaramont and his homebred son Stalwart Member, in addition to 1997 GII Gotham S. winner Smokin Mel.

“My dad introduced me into the sport when I was seven or eight years old, taking me to the trotters at Monticello,” recalled Wachtel. “In the early 1970s, when I was about nine or 10 years old, he bought his first racehorse and gave it to Howie Tesher, who was our trainer for a long time. I would go to the races with my dad and go back to the barn and immediately fell in love with the sport.”

Wachtel, who studied business and law and earned a pair

of degrees from Emory University in Atlanta, decided to follow his passion for the sport following his graduation in 1988.

“As a young guy, I knew that this was something I'd want to do someday. I went to college, business school and then law school, but that was something that was first a foremost on my mind, to pursue a career in racing, so I built my life around it, professionally.”

Operating in tandem for many years, the father and son team reaped the rewards of sharing a sport they we passionate about.

“My dad was there every step of the way,” said Wachtel. “I took over the stable about 15-20 years ago, but he would still come with me. Saratoga, in particular, was always a very special place for my dad and my family, so we'd go up there for the summers. I don't live that far, so we would drive back and forth, and we had some great memories there.”

“He had a great influence on my life in general, but in particular, he introduced me to this sport and I learned an awful lot with him. We learned together. He passed away some years ago but I know he would have been awfully excited and proud if he could have been here for some of the horses we've had over the last 15 years.”

Building on Success

Since taking over the reins of his father's racing and breeding operation, Wachtel gradually incorporated a lot of his own philosophy into the present-day version of Wachtel Stable, which typically numbers 50-60 horses.

“I wanted to treat it as more of a business than strictly as a hobby,” explained Wachtel. “I didn't want to get attached to the horses and I wanted to be able to sell the horses just at the right time which is a very important part of the sport if you're going to survive you need to be able to sell at times. And my dad and his buddies didn't really do much of that. Along the way, I have sold either all or part of some of the best horses I've ever owned, including Channel Maker. It's worked out really nicely for all of us.”

He continued, “I've also cut back a little bit on the breeding end from what he was doing. He had about 15 or 20 mares and when I took over, I cut that back to maybe seven or 10 mares. I've focused on what I felt were better quality horses.”

Among the pillars of his predecessor's management style, Wachtel continues the tradition is standing at least one stallion to serve his small band.

“In the late 1970s, my dad retired [Claramount] and made a stallion out of him. Ever since then, we have always owned a stallion in New York, so I have always had my own stallion to breed to. Right now it's [GSW and MGISP] Al Khali [Medaglia d'Oro], who was a super turf horse trained by Bill Mott. I pretty much breed him to my mares, and although we do get some outside interest, the intent wasn't really to make a commercial stallion out of him. He had a great pedigree and was great looking, and since I don't like to pay big stud fees, it allows me to breed to my own stallion. Conversely, one of the stallions that I retained an interest in is Tourist [Tiznow], who won a GI Breeders' Cup Mile for us [campaigned in partnership with WinStar Farm and Gary Barber]. He stands at WinStar. I bought mares specifically to breed to him that are in Kentucky now. But typically, I do not breed my mares to outside stallions, unless there is a compelling reason.”

Need for Speed

In the quest for better racing stock, Wachtel has built a career of unearthing 'live' racing prospects, a diamond in the rough or a horse that has gone off-form and that may not be an obvious commodity at first glance. Case in point is multiple Grade I winner Ron the Greek (Full Mandate). Winner of the GIII Lecomte S. early in his sophomore season, Ron the Greek went on a five-race losing streak, and two trainer changes, before Wachtel–in partnership with Nils Brous–entered the fray and purchased a majority holding in 2011. Turned over to Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott, the Florida-bred finished second in his first two starts for the new connections, before taking the GI Santa Anita H., giving Wachtel his first Grade I win. He went on to add wins in the GI Stephen Foster S., GI Jockey Club Gold Cup Invitational S. and Sunshine Millions Classic for the partnership before selling him right after his Gold Cup win.

“I bought my first horse when I was 18 with my dad, and I'm now 58, so I have been doing this a long time, and the vast majority of the horses that I've purchased over the years have been off of sheet figures,” Wachtel explained. “Some people look at Beyers and I look at Ragozin numbers. After 40 years of experience, my number one criteria in buying a 'made' horse is to buy fast horses. Ones that had the kind of sheet that suggested to me that they were still improving and were of value. We sometimes call them 'buried' horses whose sheets may suggest they might be more valuable than the public might realize.”

Fast forward to 2020, and the same principal applied to the decision to buy into Vequist off of a losing effort in her career debut last July.

“We identified her in her maiden race, where she was actually second at Parx,” he recalled. “And her [Ragozin] number made her the second fastest 2-year-old filly in North America behind a filly she ended up tangling with a couple of times after that, Dayoutoftheoffice, so I was very encouraged by that first effort.”

He continued, “When we were able to finalize the deal, I told Butch 'you're going to think I'm crazy, but I wouldn't run her in a maiden race. I think she's special and fast, so let's point her to a stakes race at Saratoga.' We did, and of course, she destroyed the field [in the Spinaway] and that set her on a path to the Breeders' Cup.”

Another method used by Wachtel for many years to upgrade his stock while spreading the risk is partnerships, which appear to have become the norm in recent times in both racing and the sales.

“I'm always trying to buy into horses that I hope can become stakes horses,” he said. “In doing so, that's why I'll partner with one or two guys rather than buy 100% of a horse. I'd rather 25 or 50% of an even better horse. Pretty much I won't buy unless I can have a minimum 25% stake in a horse, that's not to say that I think there is anything wrong with taking less than that. I did that with Exaggerator [Curlin], who won the [2016 Xpressbet.com] GI Preakness S. You won't see my name in the chart and since I'm not in it for the publicity, I didn't really care about that. But that was an exception because I thought he was something special and I thought he had a chance to win the Kentucky Derby, a race that he finished second in. Typically, I don't want to take less than 25%. It's just my own personal preference.”

Looking back on four decades in the game, Wachtel underscores a non-negotiable factor that he has built the success and longevity of his operation on is the people he has surrounded himself with.

“I just want to be involved with reputable people,” he affirmed

“I have a lot of horses with Gary Barber. And in case of Vequist where Gary and I would have bought the whole horse, the breeder and our partner Tom McGrath, decided he'd like to stay involved. So, I'm never opposed to partnering on horses, as long as it is somebody I want to be associated with.”

He continued, “A lot of my horses go to Bill Mott. Often times we give trainers a chance, like we did with Butch Reid and with Jerry O'Dwyer, who trained Shotski, who won the [GII] Remsen S., for us. We also did the same thing with Tim Keefe, another MidAtlantic trainer. There are some trainers in our sport that are controversial and you're not going to see my name in ownership with those particular trainers. It's not worth it to me. My integrity means a lot.”

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Trainer Butch Reid reported that all was well with his charge in the aftermath of her 2-length triumph over budding rival Dayoutoftheoffice in the Juvenile Fillies, an effort that now puts Vequist in position to take home an Eclipse Award for divisional honors. While horses can sometimes fool their caretakers by flaunting one kind of form in the morning only to give off an entirely different impression in the afternoons, Vequist more than backed up the serious tout she had made for herself this week as one of the best looking horses during training hours.

“When I saw her in the morning jogging and stuff, I thought she looked really good but then when she got over there into the paddock in the afternoon, I thought she looked spectacular,” said Reid, who previously won the 2011 Breeders' Cup Marathon with Afleet Again. “In my mind, I thought she won the paddock show. She looked good, calm, relaxed. We felt pretty good.”

Vequist now has two wins from four career starts with both of her triumphs coming in top-level races. She broke her maiden by a jaw-dropping 9 ½ lengths in the Grade 1 Spinaway Stakes at Saratoga on Sept. 6 but was beaten in the Grade 1 Frizette by Dayoutoftheoffice.

Under heady handling from Joel Rosario Friday, Vequist used an inside trip to turn the tables on her rival and make her sire Nyquist one of now 24 stallions to win a Breeders' Cup race and sire a Breeders' Cup winner.

“We figured she would be laying close and it seemed like the inside was good all day,” Reid said. “And we had Joel in the irons. We had full confidence in the horse and the rider. This is my second Breeders' Cup win but this was really a special one because she's a homebred and I was able to do it for Tom McGrath and Gary Barber and Adam Wachtel. It makes it extra special.”

Vequist was bred by McGrath's Swilcan Stables with McGrath selling an interest in the filly to Barber and Wachtel after she finished second in her career debut at Parx on July 29. To Reid's delight, the new addition to the ownership had no intention of taking the filly out of his care.

“That's something rare in this business that something like that happens. Normally that's it and the horse is gone,” Reid said. “I didn't know them (Barber and Wachtel) until I talked to them on the phone. In fact I met Gary Barber for the first time yesterday.”

Reid added that Vequist will now head to Barry Eisman's farm in Florida for a freshening to prepare for what he hopes is a successful trip down the Kentucky Oaks trail in 2021.

“Four starts as a 2-year-old is plenty for me and we got her stretched around two turns, which is what I wanted,” Reid said. “She'll soak up some sun and pick on some grass.”

Trainer and co-owner Tim Hamm reported all was good with Dayoutoftheoffice the morning after her gutsy runner-up finish in the Juvenile Fillies.

Dayoutoftheoffice set a quick pace in the 1 1/16m Juvenile Fillies, throwing down the first quarter in 23.30 and an opening half mile in 47.12 before being caught by race-winner Vequist in the late stages. That loss marked the first defeat in four starts for Dayoutoftheoffice, but the daughter of Into Mischief figures to be in play for Eclipse Award honors with her prior wins in the Grade 1 Frizette — in which she bested Vequist — and Grade 3 Schuylerville Stakes.

“She'll take a little break and get ready for a 3-year-old campaign,” Hamm said.

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With trainer Butch Reid overseeing his string at Parx, his wife and assistant Ginny got an eyeful as Vequist was full of herself while galloping about 1 5/8 miles over the Keeneland main track.

“She was ready to do this today,” Ginny Reid said. “The breeze really woke her up. Every time you do something strong with her, she gets that much better. I'm really pleased with the way she went and how nice and relaxed she is after the gallop. She's doing very well.”

Owned by Gary Barber, Wachtel Stable and Swilcan Stable, Vequist most recently finished second to fellow Juvenile Fillies contender Dayoutoftheoffice in the Frizette Oct. 10. Prior to that outing, the dark bay filly broke her maiden and became the first Grade 1 winner for her sire Nyquist when she blitzed the field by 9 ½ lengths in the seven-furlong Spinaway on Sept. 6.

The decision to go in the Spinaway off a runner-up outing in her career debut at Parx on July 29 was spurred in part by new additions to her ownership, but also by Reid's faith that the filly would get better as the distances got longer.

“Early on, there was a deal made where Gary Barber and Adam Wachtel bought into her and it was kind of their push to go ahead and get her in a Grade 1,” said Butch Reid, who won the 2011 Breeders' Cup Marathon with Afleet Again. “And we knew the further distances were what she was looking for. We ran her 4 ½ furlongs first time out and she wanted no part of that. At seven-eighths, she's just starting to get warmed up. I think it was more the distance than a lot of other things.”

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Campaigned by Sagamore Farm through his first 11 starts, including a victory in the Street Sense last fall at Churchill Downs and Grade 3 placings on both turf and dirt, South Bend was acquired by a partnership group that includes Gary Barber, Adam Wachtel, Peter Deutsch and Leonard Schleifer of Pantofel Stable.

“I think that's one of the reasons they bought him,” Mott said. “He looks good on both surfaces.”

Mott said the focus for now is on dirt, namely the 1 ¼-mile Mid-Summer Derby, the centerpiece of the Saratoga meet being contested for the 151st time but first as a point qualifier for the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby September 5.

“We're leaning toward the Travers. The partnership group wants to have a good look at that,” Mott said. “We're seriously thinking of the Travers right now. He'll work probably the first part of the week.”

“We breezed him the one time. We like the horse, he's doing well,” Mott said. “He's a nice horse to train. He moves well and he worked well for us. I'm happy with him.”

On Saturday, Mott will send out multiple Grade 1 winner Channel Maker for Barber, Wachtel, Reeves Thoroughbred Racing and R. A. Hill Stable in the Grade 2, $250,000 Bowling Green. The gelded 6-year-old son of grass champion English Channel drew post 5 of seven in the 1 3/8-mile event for 4-year-olds and up on the inner turf course.

With Mott since the spring of 2017, Channel Maker owns a 5-5-3 career record with nearly $2.2 million in purse earnings from 33 starts. He earned his first graded victory in a dead-heat triumph with Glorious Empire in the 2018 Bowling Green, winning the Grade 1 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic that fall and the Grade 1 Man o' War the following spring, each at Belmont Park.

Channel Maker has gone winless since the Man o' War, a stretch of nine races, all but one in Grade 1 or Grade 2 company. Three of those losses have come by a length or less, the most recent coming last out when he finished fourth in the Grade 1 Manhattan on July 4 at Belmont.

“Sometimes he's been a little overmatched, but when he finds the right group he's competitive,” Mott said. “He seems to be doing well. He's run over this course OK. He's competitive when he fires his best shot and gets the right trip. We're happy with him and we're optimistic.”

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