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Bruce Zoldan’s consortium has another horse that will make a Run for the Roses
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Went the Day Well, ridden by John Velazquez, crosses the finish line at the Spiral Stakes on Saturday at Turfway Park in Florence, Ky., and qualifies for the 2012 Kentucky Derby. Went the Day Well is the second horse owned by Team Valor, a consortium that includes Youngstown businessman Bruce Zoldan, that will make a Run for the Roses.
Bruce Zoldan’s consortium has another horse that will make a Run for the Roses
By Tom Williams
Youngstown
Horse aficionados say there are 35,000 thoroughbreds born each year and the owners of every one dream of being one of the 20 qualifiers for the Kentucky Derby.
Imagine the thrill of having horses qualify in consecutive years. Youngstown businessman Bruce Zoldan is feeling those chills.
Saturday, Went the Day Well, a horse owned by the consortium Team Valor that includes Zoldan, won the Grade III Vinery Racing Spiral Stakes at Turfway Park, in Florence, Ky., to qualify for the Kentucky Derby on May 5.
Last year, Team Valor’s Animal Kingdom won the Kentucky Derby then lost the Preakness Stakes by half a length.
“We have the dollars to qualify to be in the Derby,” Zoldan said. “If the horse is healthy, we’ll be in it.
“I hate to talk about it because a horse is a very delicate animal and anything can happen in the next six weeks, an injury or whatever,” Zoldan said.
Zoldan, who owns the Youngstown Phantoms hockey team of the USHL, credits Team Valor’s founder as being his racing good-luck charm.
“Our director, Barry Irwin ... he’s a genius in the horse racing business,” Zoldan said. “He knows how to select horses when they are yearlings and 2-year-olds.
“He sees the body, the build, he sees the bloodlines and he has an instinct about collecting good horses,” Zoldan said.
“I remember when he called me last year and said, ‘Bruce, I want you in on the horse, I think he’s our shot at next year’s Derby.’ “
Graham Motion, Animal Kingdom’s trainer, has the same role for Went the Day Well. His jockey is John Velazquez, who rode Animal Kingdom.
It’s possible that Team Valor could have more than one entry in the Run for the Roses. Zoldan said three other horses owned by the consortium — Lucky Chappy, Howe Great and State of Play — “all have shots to be in the Derby, which shows Barry Irwin’s genius.”
Zoldan is looking forward to return to the site of his best experience in racing.
“The festivities in being involved in the Kentucky Derby are surreal, they are unbelievable,” Zoldan said.
“I say with very much caution and humbleness, that we will go into this as the happiest owners out of the 20 because we have one under our belt,” Zoldan said. “So we’re going to be loose, we’re going to have a good time but we are going to make sure that we have a shot of winning this thing.”
Last year, Team Valor’s Animal Kingdom came from way behind to win the Kentucky Derby. Two weeks later in Baltimore, Animal Kingdom was second by half a length to Shackleford in the Preakness Stakes, just missing a shot at racing’s Triple Crown.
Three weeks later, Animal Kingdom suffered an injury during a rocky start in the Belmont Stakes, sitting out the rest of 2012.
Zoldan said Animal Kingdom was scheduled to run in the Dubai Cup, but won’t.
“Unfortunately, he re-injured the same hind leg that he injured in the Belmont Stakes,” Zoldan said. “
Selling the horse is a possibility.
“He’s more valuable running and winning, but he’s almost as valuable in stud service, so we’re going to wait two months to see how he heals,” Zoldan said.