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Any juvenile who can win Gr.1 races at his second and third starts has to be pretty special and there is no doubt this description fits Bolt d’Oro (USA), who begins his first shuttle season at Spendthrift Australia’s Victorian property later this year. A handsome bay standing 16.2 hands, he looks a perfect match for Danehill line mares.
SPENDTHRIFT has franked its commitment to the Australian breeding industry by sending outstanding juvenile Bolt d’Oro to stand in Victoria this spring. The dual Gr.1 winner is a son of champion sire Medaglia d’Oro (USA) and will stand for just $13,750, less than half his $US25,000 ($A36,000) fee in Kentucky this year.
When you consider Medaglia d’Oro’s Golden Slipper-Gr.1 winner Vancouver (Danehill) commands a $44,000 fee at Coolmore and his Golden Rose-Gr.1 winner Astern (Exceed and Excel) is on $33,000 at Darley’s Kelvinside, this looks very good value indeed. It’s worth noting that Bolt d’Oro was rated equal Champion Juvenile in the US in 2017 in the Jockey Club Rankings (formerly the Experimental Free Handicap) on 126lbs with Good Magic, three pounds clear of Mendelssohn (USA) (Scat Daddy), whose southern fee at Coolmore in 2019 is $17,600.
Bolt d’Oro was bred by WinStar Farm in Kentucky and cost trainer Mick Ruis and his wife Wendy $US630,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Yearling Sale in 2016. He is out of the winning A.P. Indy mare Globe Trot, dam also of stakes winner Sonic Mule (Distorted Humor) from only three foals. Second dam Trip (Lord at War), third dam Tour (Forty Niner), fourth dam Fun Flight (Full Pocket) and fifth dam Fun and Tears (Hempen) are stakes winners and stakes producers and the last named, a stakes winner at two, ran a short course track record, covering four furlongs in 45 seconds in an early race win.
Bolt d’Oro is yet another star tracing to Myrtlewood (Blue Larkspur-Frizeur by Sweeper), winner of 15 of her 22 starts. She set or equalled five track records and was rated US Champion Sprinter and US Champion Handicap Female of 1936. She became an outstanding taproot mare and two of her other descendants, Seattle Slew and Mr. Prospector, also feature in this pedigree. Bolt d’Oro descends from her stakes winning daughter Durazana (Bull Lea) who is his ninth dam. This is family 13c.
Triple Gr.1 winner Medaglia d’Oro (El Prado-Cappucino Bay by Bailjumper) is a grandson of breed shaper Sadler’s Wells. El Prado (ex Lady Capulet by Sir Ivor) was a Gr.1 winner in Ireland at two when racing for Robert Sangster and surprisingly, for a turf horse by a classic sire, went to stud for Adena Springs in Kentucky, defying initial scepticism from US breeders to become the country’s leading sire in 2002. A grey, his five-generation pedigree shows three strains of record-breaking English Derby winner Mahmoud (5fx5m,5m) and he inherits his coat colour via this horse, a grandson of another grey “flyer” in Mumtaz Mahal (The Tetrarch). His pedigree also features a 5mx4m double of Turn-to, whose sire Royal Charger (4mx4m Plucky Liege) has Mumtaz Mahal as his third dam. Nasrullah, a three-quarter brother to Royal Charger, appears in the sixth generation of Bolt d’Oro’s pedigree.
Medaglia d’Oro was runner-up at his only start at two and then won eight races (6f-10f), including the Travers-Gr.1 (10f) and Whitney-Gr.1 (9f) at Saratoga and the Donn Handicap-Gr.1 (9f) at Gulfstream, during the following three seasons. He was twice runner-up in the Breeders’ Cup Classic-Gr.1 and also second in the Dubai World Cup-Gr.1, Pacific Classic-Gr.1, Belmont Stakes-Gr.1 and Wood Memorial-Gr.1 and fourth in the Kentucky Derby-Gr.1 and retired with earnings topping $US5.7m.
He began stud duty at Hill ‘n’ Dale Farms in 2005 and then stood at Stonewall Farm from 2006-09 before being sold to Sheikh Mohammed in 2009 following the success of his first runners which included a 2009 Horse of the Year in Rachel Alexandra. He shuttled
to Australia for eight seasons to 2017 (fee $110,000), leaving more than 620 foals here. He has sired the winners of more than $150m world-wide and his 126SW also include Champion 2YO filly Songbird (West Acre), Kentucky Oaks-Gr.1 heroine Plum Pretty (A.P. Indy), Coffee Clique (Royal Academy), Mshawish (Thunder Gulch), Marketing Mix (Kris S), New Money Honey (Distorted Humor) and Elate (Distorted Humor), the last two with second dams by A.P. Indy, a horse who is dam sire of Bolt d’Oro and whose daughters have left 6SW (3Gr.1) to the sire. Medaglia d’Oro’s Australian Gr.1 winners Vancouver and Astern highlight an obvious cross for Bolt d’Oro, as their dams are by Danehill and his son Exceed and Excel (whose dam is by Lomond, a half-brother to Seattle Slew).
As he’s a “Danehill free zone” Bolt d’Oro should relish mares carrying this sire, who carries a double of Natalma, the Native Dancer daughter whose dam is Almahmoud (Mahmoud). Another recent Gr.1 winner for Medaglia d’Oro bred this way is Crown Prosecutor, the 2019 NZ Derby-Gr.1 winner, whose dam is by Exceed and Excel. The broader success of Sadler’s Wells line sires over Danehill-line daughters reinforces this theory.
It could also be worth considering mares featuring other sires from the Hail to Reason line, such as Cure the Blues, Halo (second dam Almahmoud) and Roberto, the latter’s son Red Ransom is particularly appealing being from a daughter of Damascus, whose son Bailjumper is dam sire of Medaglia d’Oro. Domestically, Medaglia d’Oro has also worked with mares rich in Star Kingdom or featuring Zabeel, Rory’s Jester and Centaine.
Bolt d’Oro started his racing career with a win in a maiden Special Weight (6.5f in 1:17.29) at Del Mar on August 5, 2017, overcoming a troubled start, and then went straight into Gr.1 company on September 4, contesting the Del Mar Futurity (7f). Settling eighth of nine early as the leaders carved out fast fractions, he was taken four wide by jockey Corey Nakatani around the home turn and wore down Zatar to win by three-quarters of a length in 1:22.91 to give Mick Ruis his first Gr.1 winner as a trainer. The undefeated last start Gr.2 winner and favourite Run Away was 4.75 lengths back in third.
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He made it two Gr.1 wins in succession with a dominant 7.75 length romp in the Santa Anita Frontrunner Stakes (8.5f) on September 30, beating Solomini and Take One. Bolt d’Oro’s time of 1:43.45 earned him a Beyer Speed Rating of 100, the fastest for a two year-old (to September 30) in 2017. He was made favourite for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile-Gr.1 (8.5f) at Del Mar on November 4 and before the race
it was announced that B. Wayne Hughes’ Spendthrift Farm would partner Ruis Racing on the future stallion career of Bolt d’Oro.
He had to be content with third behind $1m yearling Good Magic (Curlin) who won by 4.25 lengths, after finishing second in the Champagne Stakes-Gr.1 at his previous start as well as second on debut, and became the first horse to break his maiden in a Breeders’ Cup race. Solomini was second and Bolt d’Oro was a length back in third, a good effort after coming from well back (11th, 9th) and racing very wide on the turn.
Put away until the New Year, he resumed in the San Felipe Stakes-Gr.2 (8.5f) at Santa Anita on March 10, a race notable for the head-to-head battle down the straight between unbeaten McKinzie (Street Sense) and Bolt d’Oro, which saw a bumping duel as the colts rounded the turn and then further bumping in the straight and near the post as McKinzie drifted out and caused Bolt d’Oro to change course. McKinzie hit the post a head in front of his rival and they were 6.5 lengths clear of third placegetter Kanthaka, but there was an inquiry and the stewards unanimously awarded the race to Bolt d’Oro, placing McKinzie second.
The Santa Anita Derby-Gr.1 was next on the agenda and it took a good one to beat him in the shape of Justify (Scat Daddy) who would go on to become the first undefeated US Triple Crown winner. That colt had three lengths to spare at the post, while Bolt d’Oro was 6.5 lengths clear of third place getter Core Beliefs. Bolt d’Oro would have just two more starts when unplaced in the Kentucky Derby-Gr.1 and Belmont Stakes-Gr.1 behind Justify in May and June 2018.
He continued training with Steve Asmussen, but was retired after pulling up sore after a workout at Churchill Downs on October 17 as he prepped for the following month’s Clark Handicap-Gr.1. He had four wins, a second and a third in eight starts and earnings of $US1,016,000.
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“It was time to move on to his next career,” Spendthrift Farm general manager Ned Toffey told the US Blood-Horse. “There was certainly discussion of the Clark and the Pegasus (World Cup Invitational Stakes). That would have been the ideal scenario, but we felt that it was best to make sure he was in good shape and ready to start career number two.
“He’s a big, scopey horse, and if you look at him, you would think two-turn horse. You wouldn’t necessarily think precocious two year-old, yet that’s exactly what he was, a very precocious two year-old and very talented. I think when you see one who is kind of going against the bias, that speaks volumes about how talented a horse he is.
“I think we saw that this year, he demonstrated in his race with McKinzie just tremendous talent and ability. He literally ticks all the boxes, to overuse the expression. But he sure does that. He’s an absolutely gorgeous horse.”
“Bolt d’Oro went to the top races, and we had to go against big barns that had 30-40 precocious horses,” owner-trainer Mick Ruis said when the horse’s retirement was announced. “He danced with all of them. He was an incredible horse. He’s so well bred, and just look at him. He’s going to pass on what he’s got.
“We enjoyed him, but he never reached his potential. Looking back at it now, I wouldn’t have pressed so hard after the Breeders’ Cup and wouldn’t have worried so much about the Derby fever. That’s experience I have to learn from. Next time, if we ever get one that good, we’ll just take our time a little more and not get so caught up in the Derby fever, because I would have loved to see him in his prime.”
“Bolt d’Oro will be the highest-profile stallion to shuttle to Spendthrift Australia since we’ve opened our doors, and we believe he’ll be very attractive to our market,” Spendthrift Australia general manager Garry Cuddy said. “It all starts with his two year-old form. Bolt d’Oro is widely regarded as one of the best US juveniles of the past decade, winning a pair of respected Gr.1 events in very fast times and dominating fashion.
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He is by a proven outcross sire in Medaglia d’Oro, who needs little introduction here when it comes to his ability to sire high-class two year-olds, and he is completely free of Danehill or Danzig blood. Bolt d’Oro established himself as one of the most popular first-season stallions in the US this year, and we very much look forward to being able to show him to our breeders.”
Bolt d’Oro carries the half-brothers Sir Gaylord (Turn-to) and Secretariat (Bold Ruler) 5×4, both sons of Somethingroyal (Princequillo) who also appears in the pedigree of Gay Missile, the Sir Gaylord daughter who is A.P. Indy’s third dam (6mx5m,7m). His seven generation pedigree reveals doubles (or more) of Sir Gaylord, Tom Fool, Nearco, Native Dancer, Hail to Reason, Turn-to (7m,6mx7m,7m), My Babu, Princequillo (7f,6mx7m,6f), Ribot (6fx6m,7m), Hyperion, Polynesian and Aristophanes.
Medaglia d’Oro’s third dam Dubbed In is 3fx4f to Spinaway Stakes winner and influential mare Sunday Evening (Eight Thirty), fourth dam of former shuttle sire Bluebird (USA) (Storm Bird-Ivory Dawn by Sir Ivor), whose descendants could suit here, ditto Sir Tristram (IRE) (Sir Ivor-Isolt by Round Table), while daughters of his great-grandson Lonhro look particularly apt. Doubling Sadler’s Wells and bringing in others from his family (Nureyev, Fairy King, Perugino) also works well.
Bolt d’Oro’s dam Globe Trot is a daughter of Horse of the Year and champion sire A.P. Indy whose dam, 1992 US Broodmare of the Year Weekend Surprise (Secretariat), is also dam of Summer Squall, Saithor, Honor Grades and Eavesdropper and from the immediate family of Wolfhound, Spectacular Spy, Bite the Bullet, Foxhound, Al Mufti, Ruler of the World, Lemon Drop Kid and Duke of Marmalade, and is also a good subject for line breeding. Second dam, Gr.2 winner Trip, who won 11 races from 1200m-1700m and bred five winners, is by triple Gr.1 winner and champion miler Lord at War (by Brigadier Gerard son General), broodmare sire of Kentucky Derby winner War Emblem, Pioneerof the Nile (sire of Triple Crown winner American Pharoah), E Dubai and Raven’s Pass.
The next dam Tour (Forty Niner-Fun Flight by Full Pocket) is a granddaughter of Mr. Prospector and won five races to Listed level before leaving five winners including another stakes winner in Joke (Phone Trick). Next dam Fun Flight (by Full Pocket, a son of Olden Times), also won at Listed level, as did her dam Fun and Tears (by Nasrullah grandson Hempen), who left eight winners (3SW). As mentioned earlier, Bolt d’Oro traces to outstanding race and brood mare Myrtlewood who has plenty of successful sires among her descendants. Given his pedigree and race record, Bolt d’Oro has every chance of continuing this tradition. n
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