Bolo Thrives in Return to Turf at Santa Anita

After a detour for a trip to the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I), Bolo was back where he's thrived in the past—on the Santa Anita Park turf.



The 3-year-old son of Temple City  , who finished 12th in the Kentucky Derby last time out, looked formidable May 29 in a 2 3/4-length victory in a 1 1/8-mile allowance race . He now has three wins in four turf starts, including a 4 1/2-length victory in the Eddie Logan Stakes over the Santa Anita grass Dec. 27 in his last turf try.



"It made everybody happy, including him," trainer Carla Gaines said of Bolo's return to turf racing.



Off at 1-5 odds, the colt owned by Golden Pegasus Racing and Earle Mack led every step of the way, setting fractions of :23.80, :49.05, and 1:13.67 through six furlongs.



"That's just the way it unfolded," said Gaines, who felt fourth-place finisher Sky Preacher would set the pace. "You've got this long run into the first turn and my horse has such a big stride. Just for him to get comfortable at :24 (through a quarter-mile) is pretty slow."



Coming into the stretch the second time, however, Bolo and winning jockey Rafael Bejarano received a challenge from Royal Albert Hall and rider Flavien Prat.



"I knew he had another gear, we were just hoping he would show it," Gaines said. "As long as he stayed on the lead, I was OK with it."



The challenger, who had sat in third for most of the race, got within about three-quarters of a length with an eighth of a mile to run, but Bolo distanced himself gamely and hit the wire at 1:49.48. Hero Ten All, another colt briefly on the Triple Crown trail, was 2 1/4 lengths back in third.



"My horse doesn't have to be on the lead, but he made it so easy, I just stayed there," Bejarano said. "He was training good on the dirt going into the (Kentucky) Derby, but he has so much confidence on the grass. He's much better on it. He doesn't make any noise on the grass and there's no doubt in my mind he's one of the best horses in California on grass."

Gaines said after the race that if all goes well, Bolo will head to Belmont Park for the $1.25 million Belmont Derby Invitational (gr. IT) July 4.