Bolt d'Oro Strong in Final Drill for Santa Anita Derby

It may have been April Fool's Day, but Bolt d'Oro's final work before the April 7 Santa Anita Derby (G1) was no joke.

In a strong five-furlong move under jockey Agapito Delgadillo April 1, in company with stablemate Midnight Harbor, Ruis Racing's Medaglia d'Oro  colt drew on even terms mid-stretch after he tracked about two lengths behind early, hit the wire in 1:01 1/5 in front by a neck, and surged into his gallop-out with powerful strides.

"I think it was a perfect work," said trainer Mick Ruis. "Right past the wire, Agapito said it felt like he was coming out of the starting gate again. I'm super pleased."

The 1 1/8-mile Santa Anita Derby is California's last prep race for the May 5 Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) at Churchill Downs and will mark just the second start of the season for Bolt d'Oro, who ranks fourth on the Kentucky Derby leaderboard with 64 qualifying points. The bay colt won the Del Mar Futurity (G1) and FrontRunner Stakes (G1) after he broke his maiden at first asking, then finished third in the Nov. 4 Sentient Jet Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1). Minor issues delayed his 3-year-old debut until the March 10 San Felipe Stakes (G2), a 1 1/16-mile test which he won via the disqualification of McKinzie after a pinball battle with the fellow grade 1 winner down the lane. The two were separated at the wire by just a head.

BALAN: Bolt d'Oro Defeats McKinzie Via DQ in San Felipe

Ruis said news that the Bob Baffert-trained McKinzie will miss the Santa Anita Derby does not necessarily equal a simpler task for Bolt d'Oro, but he indicated his contender is coming into the race in strong form. 

"He was only about 75% going into the San Felipe," Ruis said. "He's a lot fitter for this race. If McKinzie was going to be in there, they probably would have hooked up going down the lane, because they're both warriors. There's talk about Bob entering Justify, and he could be another tough horse for us to race against.

"But I think another hard race for Bolt is not going to hurt him. It's going to make him a lot better going into the (Kentucky) Derby. He's just getting into shape right now. He's getting good and fit. So we'll hope for a safe race, whoever we run against, and hope he heads to Kentucky in good shape for May 5." 

Ruis and his wife, Wendy, own Bolt d'Oro, a $630,000 purchase from Denali Stud's consignment to the 2016 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga select yearling sale. The colt was bred in Kentucky by WinStar Farm, out of the A.P. Indy mare Globe Trot, and has won four of five starts while amassing earnings of $816,000.