Veteran Bolo stuns in Shoemaker Mile score at Santa Anita

Bolo, a 7-year-old gelding running for just the second time since defeated in the same race two years ago, took them all the way to win Monday’s Grade 1, $500,000 Shoemaker Mile at Santa Anita Park.

In the process, he earned a free trip to the Breeders’ Cup Mile in what was the year’s first domestic “Win and You’re In” race for the 2019 championships.

The familiar Carla Gaines trainee made the Shoemaker Mile his first victory since February of 2017 and sixth overall in his career, which includes a trip to the 2015 Kentucky Derby won by American Pharoah.

An injury in a workout as Bolo came up on a would-be 6-year-old season put his racing future in doubt. Gaines credit the ownership group of Golden Pegasus Racing for their patience.

"They allowed me to take the time to get the horse back at a very gentile and slow pace," Gaines said. "It worked."

A 32-1 upsetter on Monday, Bolo jumped out to lead wire to wire, posting quarter-mile fractions of 23.51, 46.95 and 1:10.44 on his way to a final time of 1:34.07 under jockey Florent Geroux.

"He broke so sharp, and I was about to make the lead very easy," Geroux said. "His ears were going back and forth. I just felt like the horse took a good breather during the race, and I thought from that point he was going to be very hard to catch."

Bolo, by Temple City, made this his second start off a lengthy layoff. He returned to be fifth on April 28 in an allowance optional claiming race going nine furlongs.

River Boyne ran on to complete a $171.70 exacta with Bowies Hero third and Sharp Samurai fourth in a field of nine. Delta Prince, a last out Grade 1 winner of Keeneland’s Maker’s 46 Mile, didn’t factor.

This year's Breeders' Cup is scheduled to run at Santa Anita.