By a total margin of more than $275,000, pending any late foreign money, Spendthrift Farm's Bolt d'Oro (Medaglia d'Oro) handily captured the title of 2022's leading first-year sire over an impressive list of promising freshman stallions that included 2017 juvenile champion Good Magic (Curlin), who stands at Hill 'n' Dale Farm, and Coolmore's Triple Crown winner and 2018 Horse of the Year Justify (Scat Daddy). The top three battled neck and neck down to the wire with Bolt d'Oro pulling away from Good Magic in the last few days of the year to claim the win, with Justify checking in third.
Developing a leading freshman sire was an especially sweet victory for the connections of two-time GI winner Bolt d'Oro, who was finally able to turn the tables on Justify after finishing behind him in their only two meetings on the track.
“It's really exciting obviously,” Spendthrift Farm general manager Ned Toffey said. “It's a really nice way to cap off the year. We have the perennial leading sire (Into Mischief) and to add the leading freshman sire is certainly a feather in our cap. It is a credit to the entire team at Spendthrift Farm and the ownership group, the breeders and the buyers at auction. As the year unfolded it was nice to see (Bolt d'Oro) gain momentum to not only have sprinters but also runners who could go two turns.”
Bolt d'Oro was bred to 214 mares in 2019 with 168 live foals reported, of which 80 started and 29 won. Overall, his first crop earned $2,815,623 in 2022 and he was represented by 15 stakes runners and six stakes winners, including GII winners Instant Coffee and Major Dude. He stood for $25,000 in his initial year at stud, dropped to $15,000 in 2020 and after a year at $20,000 will stand for a fee of $35,000 in 2023.
“This is a horse (the late Spendthrift owner B. Wayne Huges) was very excited about,” Toffey said. “Bolt d'Oro came to Spendthrift at about the time Medaglia d'Oro was at the top of his game and a big international sire, and Mr. Hughes was pretty positive about this horse. He was one who really captured his imagination and I think he'd be very proud right now. Like Mr. Hughes would say, 'It's genetic roulette,' and I think we got lucky here.”
Good Magic, who covered 164 mares for 134 live foals in his first crop, saw 22 of his 65 starters reach the winner's circle, his entire first crop banking $2,533,194. GI Champagne S. winner Blazing Sevens was his top performer, and he was also represented by GII winners Dubyunhell and Vegas Magic. He had six score in black-type company in 2022 overall, of which four earned graded honors. He stood for an initial fee of $35,000, which was boosted to $50,000 for 2023.
Justify, who stood for $150,000 in his first year at Ashford Stud, covered 252 mares in 2019 and was represented by 180 live foals in 2020. He saw 29 of his 71 starters reach the winner's circle for $2,478,038, with Irish G2 winner Statuette being his most successful runner. He was also represented by GIII winners Just Cindy and Champions Dream in the U.S. He is advertised for $100,000 in 2023.
Other notable sires to finish behind the top three were Army Mule (Friesan Fire), who stands at Hill 'n' Dale for a fee of $12,500 in 2023 and whose offspring earned $2,045,440; and Three Chimneys Farm's Sharp Azteca (Freud), who is advertised for a fee of $15,000 and whose first crop of runners earned $1,914,292.
Bolt d'Oro joins an impressive recent list of leading first-year sires that includes Gun Runner (Candy Ride {Arg}), Nyquist (Uncle Mo) and American Pharoah (Pioneerof the Nile).
Final Earnings Standings through Dec. 31, 2022 (pending last-minute foreign earnings):
1st—Bolt d'Oro, $2,810,0956
2nd—Good Magic, $2,533,194
3rd—Justify, $2,478,038
The TDN sire lists contain full-dollar earnings of Northern Hemisphere foals winning anywhere in the world. To view the current standings updated overnight, click here.
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