Kentucky Derby 2018 favorite Bolt d'Oro 'doing incredible'

FrontRunner winner Bolt d’Oro, who suffered his first loss after bobbling at the start followed by a race-long wide trip in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Nov. 4, is back at his home base of Santa Anita getting ready for his 3-year-old debut in the Grade 2 San Vicente Stakes at seven furlongs on Feb. 10.

If all goes well, the son of Medaglia d’Oro owned and trained by Mick Ruis would continue to prepare for the 2018 Kentucky Derby by running in the Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes March 10 and the Grade I, $1 million Santa Anita Derby on April 7.

“I’m staying here until then,” Ruis said this morning. “Santa Anita gives me stalls, so I’m going to stick to my word and run in all three races right here with the big horse. He’s been galloping and doing incredible. We turned down $15 million for him before the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile.

“I’ve already made a (breeding) deal with Mr. Hughes (B. Wayne Hughes of Spendthrift Farms in Kentucky). When we retire Bolt d’Oro, he owns 50 percent of the breeding rights and we (Mick and his wife, Wendy) own 50 percent.

“We own the horse 100 percent until the day we retire him, and then it’s 50-50 right down the middle with Mr. Hughes on the breeding rights.”

Meanwhile, Grade 1 winner Union Strike, unraced since last June 10 when she finished fifth in the Grade I Acorn at BelmontPark, is being pointed to the Grade 3 Megahertz Stakes at a mile on grass Jan. 15, Ruis said.

“We always wanted to put her on the turf,” said Ruis, who nominated her to the La Brea Stakes on the main track opening day. “She runs like she wants to go on the turf and she’s bred for it (by Union Rags out of a Smart Strike mare, Classic Strike).

“We’d like to get a graded win on turf to go with her Grade 1 win as a two-year-old in the Del Mar Debutante on dirt and her Grade II placing in the Eight Belles as a three-year-old. If we get her a graded win on turf as a four-year-old, it would show her versatility on all surfaces.

“She went on her face in the Acorn and lost both front shoes. We kept her at Santa Anita and worked on a minor ankle issue. We gave her time because we’re here for the long run, and she’s doing incredible right now.”

Source: Santa Anita Park news release