Bolo Pulls Off Shoemaker Mile Shocker at 30-1
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Photo: Benoit Photo
Bolo wins the Shoemaker Mile at Santa Anita Park
Golden Pegasus Racing's Bolo looked like a longshot on paper for the $500,000 Shoemaker Mile Stakes (G1T) May 27 at Santa Anita Park. The 7-year-old gelding was making his second start off nearly a two-year layoff, was off the board in his return race, and had not visited the winner's circle since February 2017. So when he went off at 32-1, it was no surprise.
But when the gates opened at the Arcadia, Calif., oval on Memorial Day, Bolo and jockey Florent Geroux got the jump on the nine-horse field and led every step of the way to earn an all-fees paid berth into the Nov. 2 Breeders' Cup Mile (G1T) back at Santa Anita.
"It's hard to say in words what this means, I can't verbalize it," said winning trainer Carla Gaines. "He means everything to our barn, he's the chief."
Bolo was facing a strong field featuring Maker's 46 Mile (G1T) winner Delta Prince and 2018 Breeders' Cup Mile (G1T) runner-up Catapult among other graded stakes winners. The son of Temple City , who contested the 2015 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1), picked up his own graded scores in the 2016 and 2017 Arcadia Stakes (G2T) once switched to grass.
"My emotions are coming from the long road back to the track with him and he's just special," Gaines added. "He took me to the Kentucky Derby. We didn't do so well, but we went to the Derby."
He ran sixth in the Shoemaker Mile two years ago before making his return this year April 28 in a 1 1/8-mile allowance optional claiming event over Santa Anita's turf, fading to fifth from the front.
"The first race in April was a bit far for him and he hadn't run in basically two years," Gaines said, "So it was sort of like let's get him out there and have him carve out some easy fractions and see if he can keep going. He got a little tired in the end (in his first race back), but today he didn't."
In this year's Shoemaker Mile, Bolo grabbed the lead and set opening quarter-mile fractions in :23.51, :46.95, and 1:10.44. Catapult settled mid-pack while Delta Prince was closer to the rear. Desert Stone was away last after a poor break.
Bolo showed no signs of feeling the pressure of a grade 1 as he maintained at least a length advantage. Delta Prince, the 9-5, favorite, never threatened and finished off the board. Bolo went on to score by 1 1/4 lengths and completed the mile in 1:34.07 over good-rated turf.
"What an amazing horse and such an amazing job to Carla and her team," Geroux said. "She had the horse ready. Last time the horse ran better than what it looked like, it was a bit far for him being a mile and eighth and he only got beat a mile and a half, so I had all the confidence in the world. I knew the horse was ready this time."
River Boyne beat out Bowies Hero by a nose for second. Sharp Samurai, Catapult, Ohio, Delta Prince, Le Ken, and Desert Stone completed the order of finish.
Bolo was bred in Kentucky by Spendthrift Farm and was privately purchased by Golden Pegasus Racing. He is the fifth foal out of the Chief Seattle mare Aspen Mountain, who has produced five winners from seven starters, including grade 3-placed winner Let Me Go First.
The Shoemaker Mile improved Bolo's record to 6-1-4 in 19 starts with $976,870 in earnings.