Bolt d'Oro

2nd-KEE, $100K, Msw, 3yo, 7f, 1:05 p.m. At the end of last year, it was Bolt d'Oro (Medaglia d'Oro) that reigned supreme over Good Magic (Curlin) and Justify (Scat Daddy) in the first-crop sire race when Spendthrift's own sewed up the title by more than $275,000 in world-wide earnings. Now second-croppers, they come together in Race 2 at Keeneland for another battle on Saturday. Bred by WinStar Farm and trained by Todd Pletcher, LE BAR (Bolt d'Oro) carries the flag for the 2022 first-crop leader and is part of a...

7th-Santa Anita, $72,500, Alw (NW1$X)/Opt. Clm ($100,000), 3-27, 3yo, f, 7f, 1:22.07, ft, 2 lengths. ANYWHO (f, 3, Bolt d'Oro--Fancy and Flashy {SP}, by Zensational) , making her first start in the Hronis Racing colors, took her record to a perfect two-for-two with a determined victory at Santa Anita Monday. The 9-2 shot prompted the pace of longshot Liberal Lady (Mor Spirit), quickened on the bend to challenge the pacesetter and grabbed the lead into the stretch. She shrugged off favored Coffee in Bed (Curlin) down the lane and sailed...

There are American pedigrees galore that feature in the 73-strong catalogue for the Goffs Dubai Breeze-Up Sale, which takes place Tuesday afternoon in the saddling enclosure at Meydan Racecourse. With the lowering of COVID-related travel restrictions in 2022, European-based resellers were a noted presence at this country's yearling auctions last summer and fall, and with the increased focus on dirt racing in the Gulf region--not only at the racetracks of the Emirates Racing Association, but also in Saudi Arabia and, to a lesser extent, Qatar--it stands to reason that American-bred...

During the TDN's visit to Ocala last spring to scope out which first-crop sires were earning favor with the 2-year-old consignors, the response was fairly conclusive. Bolt d'Oro was a common prediction for leading freshman sire, and the consignors who believed in him before his first juveniles reached the starting gate certainly hit the nail on the head. Interestingly, of the seven Bolt d'Oro progeny that were featured in our 'Thoughts from Ocala' video series (see here and here), five of those went on to break their maiden on debut....

Spendthrift Farm's Major Dude (Bolt d'Oro) sat a midfield trip and worked home best of all to record a second victory at the graded level in Saturday's GIII Kitten's Joy S. at Gulfstream Park. Settled in about fifth position early as fellow 10-1 chances Dude N Colorado (GB) (Uncle Mo) and Boppy O (Bolt d'Oro) eyeballed each other through reasonable fractions, Major Dude dropped down onto the fence with about a half-mile to race and traveled well within the grasp of the in-form Irad Ortiz, Jr. as they raced around...

The Ocala Breeders' Sales Company will open its 2023 schedule with the Winter Mixed Sale and Horses of Racing Age which begins its two-day run Tuesday morning in Central Florida. The auction begins at noon with a consignor preferred mixed session of 143 catalogued head, followed immediately by an offering of 148 horses of racing age. Wednesday's open mixed session, which also begins at noon, includes 253 catalogued offerings. "We are excited to be kicking off the year with a good sale," said OBS Director of Sales Tod Wojciechowski. "I...

Al Gold had a few things to look forward to Saturday at the Fair Grounds. Earlier Saturday morning, his multiple Grade I winner Cyberknife (Gun Runner) turned in the final work of his career ahead of next Saturday's GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational S., while his Instant Coffee (Bolt d'Oro) was looking to further cement his status as a leading light for this year's GI Kentucky Derby in the GIII Lecomte S. Cyberknife confirmed that he is on song for his career finale next weekend, and Instant Coffee followed suit...

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency 9th-SA, $67K, Msw, 3yo, f, 6 1/2fT, 7:29 p.m. Debuting Sunday out of the Richard Mandella barn, Ruby Nell (Bolt d'Oro) put in a quick breeze at the Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream Sale to be a $1.2 million pick up for Spendthrift Farm. A daughter of last year's leading first-crop sire, Ruby Nell is out of a half-sister to MSW & GSP Concealed Identity (Smarty Jones) who went on to produce SW & GSP Peach of a Gal (Curlin). Quick on the main track, she's posted a...

And so we begin anew. The GIII Lecomte S. always warms the heart: it's like noticing the first buds on the bare trees, as the quiet midwinter promise--familiar, expected, miraculous--of another spring to come.

And so we begin anew. The GIII Lecomte S. always warms the heart: it's like noticing the first buds on the bare trees, as the quiet midwinter promise--familiar, expected, miraculous--of another spring to come. In trees, each new cycle is nourished by past decay: by roots extending into soil enriched by the leaves discarded at the end of the previous one. And actually it's not dissimilar with selective breeding, so that each generation can recycle its speed, stamina, beauty, bravery. The world may be a very different place, on and...

As we approach the opening of the 2023 breeding season, the TDN staff is once again sitting down with leading breeders to find out what stallions they have chosen for their mares, and why. Here's what Edwin Anthony of Shortleaf Stable had to say about their broodmare band for 2023. I subscribe to the same school of thought as pedigree gurus like Ken McLean, Alan Porter and Anne Peters when it comes to trying to concentrate the influence of the most effective foundation mares and families. My first job in...

Today we finally come to a group that has at least had some initial opportunity to show whether or not they can replicate their own racing prowess. By the same token, of course, this means that their level of support--which in many cases will already have declined through each preceding year, as racetrack exposure draws perilously closer--may now fall off a cliff. If the stampede to unproven sires is ludicrous, then so is the haste with which they are abandoned. Stallions whose stock should plainly be granted time to mature...