Bolo comes right back for Thunder Road

ARCADIA, Calif. – Bolo will have the fastest turnaround of his career in Saturday’s Grade 3 Thunder Road Stakes at Santa Anita, returning 15 days after finishing ninth in the Grade 1 Maker’s 46 Mile at Keeneland.

The quick return is a change from trainer Carla Gaines’s typical style but not a major concern when the horse in question is a multiple stakes winner such as Bolo.

“He’s been in great form since he’s been back,” Gaines said.

Bolo’s energy may stem from his performance in the Maker’s 46 Mile – or lack thereof. Sent off as the 7-2 favorite, Bolo was fourth on the backstretch and was not a factor in the stretch, finishing 4 1/4 lengths behind winner American Patriot. Gaines said Bolo did not like Keeneland’s turf course.

“It was a non-effort,” Gaines said.

Asked if Bolo would ship to other venues for the rest of the year, Gaines was quick with a reply. “No way,” she said.

The $100,000 Thunder Road is the seventh race on a nine-race program that begins at 1 p.m. Pacific. The Thunder Road drew a field of seven and is a prep for the Grade 1 Shoemaker Mile on June 3.

There will be support for Twentytwentyvision, who was seventh in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap on dirt March 11 and won the Rolling Green Stakes at Golden Gate Fields last September. Perfectly Majestic was second in the Joe Hernandez Stakes on the hillside turf course March 4, losing by a nose to Stormy Liberal, who won the Siren Lure Stakes for turf sprinters last weekend.

KEY CONTENDERS

Bolo, by Temple City

Last 3 Beyers: 93-101-100

◗ Bolo has won 5 of 15 starts and earned $663,045, by far the most of the Thunder Road entrants.

◗ Owned by Golden Pegasus Racing Inc. and Earle Mack, Bolo won his first start of 2017 in the Grade 2 Arcadia Stakes at a mile on turf Feb. 11 and was third in the Grade 1 Frank Kilroe Mile on turf March 11.

◗ In the Thunder Road, Bolo is likely to be in pursuit of the former claimer Sawyer’s Hill, who has led throughout his last two starts – a $75,000 claimer and an optional claimer at a mile on turf.

Twentytwentyvision, by Pollard’s Vision

Last 3 Beyers: 82-92-85

◗ Twentytwentyvision is winless in five starts since the Rolling Green, including consecutive third-place finishes in two stakes on turf in October and one on a sloppy track in January.

◗ In the Big Cap, Twentytwentyvision was at the back of a field of nine and was never a factor. The race was a failed experiment.

“He said he’s had enough dirt, and it’s time to go back to the turf,” trainer Richard Mandella said.

◗ Twentytwentyvision has won 5 of 17 starts but has yet to win a graded stakes.

“I’ve always thought he’s that kind of horse,” Mandella said. “He should do well at this distance. He hasn’t run in a while, and he’s a little fresh.”