Bolt d'Oro Flashes Speed in Kentucky Derby Work
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Photo: Gary Tasich
Bolt d'Oro works seven furlongs at Santa Anita Park
In his first of two scheduled timed workouts for the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1), Ruis Racing's Bolt d'Oro flashed his speed immediately April 22 at Santa Anita Park.
The Medaglia d'Oro colt rocketed away from his pony escort in the clubhouse turn and set fractions of :35, :46 3/5, and :58 4/5 through five furlongs under jockey Victor Espinoza. Bolt d'Oro hit the wire in 1:11 2/5 for six furlongs with some asking from Espinoza and finished the drill a furlong past the wire to complete seven furlongs in 1:24 1/5.
"I think it was a good work for him," Espinoza said. "I think he needed it, and he came out of it in good shape. He's not really a good worker by himself, and I had to encourage him a little bit at the end, but it's OK. With company it's a different story, which is good. I like that. That means he's not using his energy like crazy."
Espinoza said he wanted Bolt d'Oro to start quickly in the colt's first workout since his second-place run behind Justify in the Santa Anita Derby (G1).
"I wanted to encourage him to go right away and use his talent a little bit in the beginning," Espinoza said of the March 10 San Felipe Stakes (G2) winner. "And then I slowed him down a little bit at the end because I don't like to go too fast into the turn. In the stretch, he was good."
After watching the work from the Santa Anita grandstand, owner and trainer Mick Ruis said he was happy with the drill. Only two other horses worked seven furlongs on the main track Sunday, and Bolt d'Oro ran significantly faster than the pair. Hachi covered the distance in 1:28 2/5, and Drummer had a clocking of 1:29 flat.
"It looked good to me, but I wasn't on his back," Ruis said. "To do it like that in 1:24—it should be a good tightener. ... He can do that. He won at 6 1/2 (furlongs) first time out, then won (the grade 1 Del Mar Futurity at) seven-eighths. He could go wire to wire if we wanted him to, but I don't think that's his style."
Ruis said the two-time grade 1 winner and millionaire will log his final workout for the Kentucky Derby at Santa Anita April 28 before shipping to Churchill Downs.