Bolt d'Oro Filly a Professional Debut Winner at Saratoga

5th-Saratoga, $88,000, (S), Msw, 8-10, 2yo, f, 6f, 1:11.93, ft, 3 lengths.
MISS D'OR CHERIE (f, 2, Bolt d'Oro–Above Fashion {SW & GSP, $188,590}, by Paddy O'Prado) was drawn widest in a nine-strong field for Thursday's state-bred maiden at Saratoga and turned in a most professional debut effort to open her account at first asking. Outsprinted through the opening exchanges by Snarky (Redesdale), who won the break from the rail, the $300,000 OBS April acquisition showed ample early pace to sit right off the leader's flank from second. Inching closer still at the midway point of the turn, the dark bay eased to the front with a bit more than a quarter-mile to travel, pinching a break entering the final furlong and went on to score by three lengths as the 14-5 favorite. Book of Wisdom (Solomini) ran on gamely for second while no menace to the winner. Miss d'Or Cherie also sold for $72,000 as a weanling at the 2021 Fasig-Tipton November Sale and again at that auction house's Kentucky July Yearling Sale, where she fetched $160,000. Christopher Shelli, who operates Fort Christopher's Thoroughbreds in Fort Edward, New York, purchased Miss d'Or Cherie's dam for $27,000 on behalf of Jon Stillman's Caliburn Farm in foal to Star Guitar at the 2019 Fasig-Tipton Winter Mixed Sale and they began upgrading her breeding record when mating her with Bernardini that season. He sold the resulting foal, a filly, for $90,000 as the Fasig-Tipton New York-Bred Sale in 2021 and the mare has since been represented by a Vino Rosso colt of 2022 that sells as hip 494 during next Monday's session of the Fasig-Tipton New York-Bred Yearling Sale and a McKinzie filly foaled this past Apr. 7. Above Fashion was subsequently covered by Epicenter. Stillman and his wife Margaret Davenport made the short drive from their farm to watch the race in person Thursday afternoon. “It was a magic moment, just great,” Stillman said. “When she hit the ground, she just had this maturity about her to go along with her physical appearance. As if she knew more than she really did. She looked like she'd been there before and she's shown that from the time she was a foal.” Stillman said that the decision to breed Above Fashion to Bolt d'Oro was his advisor's. “That was Chris's idea, he really nailed it.” Stillman maintains a broodmare band of six at Caliburn Farm.  Sales history: $72,000 Wlg '21 FTKNOV; $160,000 Ylg '22 FTKOCT; $300,000 2yo '23 OBSAPR. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $48,400. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
O-Reeves Thoroughbred Racing & Steven Rocco; B-Caliburn Farm LLC (NY); T-Christophe Clement.

#9 Miss d'Or Cherie breaks her maiden in R5 at Saratoga under Manny Franco for trainer @clementstable! 🏇

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