Grade 1 Winner Bolt d'Oro Retired to Spendthrift Farm

Multiple grade 1 winner Bolt d'Oro  has been retired and will stand the 2019 season for an advertised fee of $25,000, Spendthrift Farm general manager Ned Toffey said Nov. 7.

Owned by Mick and Wendy Ruis and originally trained by the former, Bolt d'Oro had been a steady presence on the work tab since he was moved to the barn of Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen this summer. He was tentatively slated to start in the Nov. 23 Clark Handicap presented by Norton Healthcare (G1) at Churchill Downs. Toffey said Wednesday the 3-year-old son of Medaglia d'Oro  emerged sore from his last published workout Oct. 17—a five-furlong move in 1:01 at Churchill—and the decision was made to move the Eclipse Award finalist on to the breeding shed.

"We felt like the best thing is, it was time to move on to his next career," Toffey said. "There was certainly discussion of the Clark and the (grade 1) Pegasus (World Cup Invitational Stakes). … That would have been the ideal scenario. But we felt like it was best to make sure he was in good shape and ready to start career No. 2."

Ruis purchased Bolt d'Oro for $630,000 out of Fasig-Tipton's 2016 The Saratoga Sale and campaigned the colt to victories in the Del Mar Futurity (G1) and FrontRunner Stakes (G1) last season. The deal to stand the colt at Spendthrift upon his retirement was announced in October of 2017, and the colt went on to finish third behind eventual divisional champion Good Magic  in the Sentient Jet Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) at Del Mar in November of that year.

When Bolt d'Oro made his sophomore debut, he engaged fellow grade 1 winner McKinzie in a stretch battle during the March 10 San Felipe Stakes (G2) at Santa Anita Park and was awarded the victory via disqualification. He came in second to future Triple Crown winner Justify  in the Santa Anita Derby (G1) prior to his 12th in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) and 11th in the June 9 Runhappy Metropolitan Handicap (G1).

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

"He's a big, scopey horse, and if you look at him, you would think two-turn horse. You wouldn't necessarily think precocious 2-year-old," Toffey said. "Yet that's exactly what he was—a very precocious 2-year-old and very talented. I think when you see one that is kind of going against the bias, that speaks volumes about how talented a horse he is.

"I think we saw 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."

Though Toffey could not discuss details of the breeding rights deal on Bolt d'Oro, he did say Mick Ruis retained an interest in the horse. He also said the new sire will not be a part of Spendthrift's "Share the Upside" program.

"People have been inquiring about him for some time," Toffey said. "We basically have a waiting list at this point."

Bred in Kentucky by WinStar Farm, Bolt d'Oro is out of the winning A.P. Indy mare Globe Trot and is a half brother to stakes winner Sonic Mule. He retired with four wins from eight starts and $1,016,000 in earnings.

Mick Ruis reflected on Bolt d'Oro's career Wednesday after he arrived in California from Keeneland, where he purchased mares he intends on breeding to the new stallion.

"He went to the top races, and we had to go against big barns that had 30-40 precocious horses," Ruis said. "He danced with all of them. He was an incredible horse."

But there was a feeling of melancholy in Ruis' voice as he remembered Bolt d'Oro's run as a top juvenile and Derby prospect.

"The last six months going up to the Derby were stressful after the Breeders' Cup. We had one big horse in the barn," he said. "The most difficult thing was dealing the catbirds out there. Looking back at it, I should have just enjoyed it a little more and not listened to the haters. That's what I learned out of this, and that I hope he's not a once-in-a-lifetime horse. 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."

And if he gets another standout through breeding to Bolt d'Oro, all the better.

"He's so well-bred, and just look at him. He's going to pass on what he's got," Ruis said.