The way John Como Jr. looks at the big picture, this could be the right year to own Bolt The Duer...or the wrong one

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The son of Ponder and the deceased Artsplace mare Wonderbolt, Bolt The Duer has been referred to by trainer Peter Foley as the most talented horse he has had since arriving from Australia 40 years ago.

His owners, John Como Sr. and John Como Jr. of All Star Racing, feel the three-year-old colt pacer could be the best they have ever had since starting in 1969 (and going under various stable names over the years).

The one drawback is Bolt The Duer is a stud in a year when harness racing has more three-year-old studs than a pick-up bar. He has won seven of nine career races entering Saturday’s $306,204 Art Rooney Pace, where a talented field of six will compete at Yonkers Raceway.

“He has tremendous ability, and by far could be the best we’ve had,” Como Jr. said. “But I just think this is a year where there are so many good three-year-olds, that you’re just one of many. It’s going to come down to post position and getting the breaks.

“It’s going to be like that the whole year. You’re gonna need a break and a lot of luck to do well with the horses that are out there this year.”

In essence, it’s a good year for the Comos to have a horse like Bolt The Duer just so they can stay competitive in the loaded field. But it could also be an unfortunate year, because if they had him any other year, they might enjoy a completely dominating season.

“Yeah, that’s pretty much it,” Como said with a laugh.

Either way, they are glad to have him.

All Star Racing has gone under several different names since starting operation in 1969. It changed to its current moniker four years ago and currently owns 13 horses. Horses of note include Blue Claw, who won the 2008 Kentucky Sire Stakes and has earned more than a half-million dollars, and Shanghai Lil, who has won more than $1 million. She also captured a Kentucky Sire Stakes title and won the 2009 Lady Maud at Yonkers.

“She the best we’ve had so far, you have to give it to her,” Como said. “But Bolt The Duer has the potential to be the best.”

All Star Racing has a history with Bolt The Duer’s family. Shanghai Lil is his older half-sister, and they also had his half-brothers Devilfish and Blue Claw. Foley feels Shanghai Lil is the best filly he has ever trained.

“We started with Blue Claw, and it was like we couldn’t miss after that,” Como said. “We bought every one out of [Wonderbolt] after that.”

Sadly, Wondberbolt died in foal to Rocknroll Hanover.

Bolt The Duer is named after Carter Duer, the proprietor of Peninsula Farms, which produced the colt. He was purchased for $70,000 at the 2010 Standardbred Horse Sale.

His only non-winning races came last season in a two-year-old race at the Meadowlands, where he suffered interference, and in the International Stallion Stakes. His wins included the Kentucky Sire Stakes championship, a division of the Bluegrass Stakes, where he edged Sweet Lou by a head. He opened this year by winning a division of the Simpson Memorial.

Como notes that Bolt The Duer is a different animal in and out of the stall.

“He’s very calm around the barn and the stall, but when you take him out of his stall he’s a wild man,” he said. “He’s hard to walk, he just likes to walk and drag people around. But you put him in his stall and he likes to lie down and rest.”

On the track, he can handle any type of race.

“He’s perfect, you can race him any way you want,” Como said. “Mark [MacDonald] says he drives him with two fingers. You can put him in a hole, or leave with him. We’ve put him on the front end and raced him from behind.

“That’s what we like the most about him. You can race him any way you want. He’s very handy. Pete thinks he’s the best horse he’s ever trained and he’s done a great job with him. He lives with the horse day and night, you can’t always say that about a guy.”

The Comos and Foley have been picking their spots for the colt. They will skip the $1.5 million North America Cup in Canada to avoid shipping him.

Bolt The Duer will face Domethatagain, Dynamic Youth, Hurrikane Kingcole, Major Bombay, and Pet Rock in Saturday’s Rooney.

“We hope to win,” Como said. “We’re gonna give it all we have to win it.”

Future races include the Hempt Memorial at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs, which is Bolt The Duer’s home track because Foley trains there. Last Thursday, he qualified at Pocono Downs in a zippy 1:50.1, with a :25.4 final quarter-mile. There will also be the Meadowlands Pace, the Adios at The Meadows and the Kentucky Sire Stakes.

“It’s a tough, long year,” Como said. “If you don’t spread out the races and give him rest, it’s brutal. This year is going to come down to whoever survives. I haven’t seen this many good three-year-olds at one time for as long as I’ve been in the business.”

Which could make this a very challenging year for Bolt The Duer, but the potential also is there for a very great year.

Following is the field in post position order for Saturday’s $306,204 Art Rooney Pace, with listed drivers and trainers:

1. Bolt the Duer - Mark MacDonald, Peter Foley 7-5
2. Domethatagain - Jim Morrill Jr., Erv Miller 12-1
3. Dynamic Youth - Andrew McCarthy, Aaron Lambert, 10-1
4. Pet Rock - Brian Sears, Virgil Morgan Jr., 8-1
5. Hurrikane Kingcole - Tim Tetrick, John McDermott, 8-5
6. Major Bombay - Jason Bartlett, Tony Alagna, 6-1