Bolt d'Oro will keep blinkers in FrontRunner Stakes

ARCADIA, Calif. – The day after Bolt d’Oro won the Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity earlier this month, trainer-owner Mick Ruis said he was thinking of removing the 2-year-old colt’s blinkers when he stretched him out around two turns.

Bolt d’Oro wore blinkers in his first two starts. Both were wins, both were sprinting. In longer races, Ruis theorized, the blinkers wouldn’t be necessary to keep Bolt d’Oro closer to the pace.

:: Get bonus PPs for Saturday's card at Santa Anita

But when Bolt d’Oro goes 1 1/16 miles Saturday in the Grade 1, $300,000 FrontRunner Stakes at Santa Anita, the blinkers will stay on, for one very simple reason: “If it’s not broke, don’t fix it,” Ruis said Thursday morning.

There’s no reason to mess with success. Bolt d’Oro is unbeaten in two starts, and has the pedigree and physique to suggest going two turns will be right in his wheelhouse. His early exploits have already attracted the attention of Spendthrift Farm, which recently acquired the breeding rights to Bolt d’Oro.

The FrontRunner drew a field of nine, including Zatter, who finished second in the Del Mar Futurity, and Encumbered, who is taking a shot on dirt after winning the Del Mar Juvenile Turf last time out.

The winner earns an automatic berth to the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile on Nov. 4 at Del Mar.

The FrontRunner goes as race 8 on the 11-race card, and will kick off the late pick four.

:: Breeders' Cup PP packages: Get PPs, betting strategies, DRF+ Pro access, and more

KEY CONTENDERS

Bolt d’Oro, by Medaglia d’Oro
Beyers: 85-77

◗ He has broken poorly in both of his starts, the first time being his fault, the second the result of horses colliding with him leaving the gate. Both times, he brushed it off like it was lint and prevailed.

“He looks like he’s grown the last two or three weeks. Maybe it looks like a horse grows after they’ve won a Grade 1,” Ruis said, laughing.

Zatter, by Midnight Lute
Beyers: 84-84

◗ He was second in the Del Mar Futurity while finishing well in front of the rest of the field.

◗ Bob Baffert, who trains both Zatter and Solomini for Zayat Stables, said there was a chance Zatter could scratch and go to New York next week for the Grade 1 Champagne Stakes at Belmont Park.

Solomini, by Curlin
Beyer: 79

◗ He won his lone start, which came at Del Mar in a sprint, and with his steady, grinding style, he should benefit by having more distance.

“These Curlins, they’re like riding a bike,” Baffert said. “You have to stay after them. He’s still green. But he has a lot of raw talent. He wants two turns.”

Encumbered, by Violence
Last 3 Beyers: 73-70-62

◗ After two turf wins going long at Del Mar, he is moving back to the dirt, the surface over which he was fourth sprinting in his debut. The Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf on Nov. 3 is his target if he doesn’t run well here.

“There’s a lot of upside,” said Simon Callaghan, who trains Encumbered for Paul Reddam. “This is a Grade 1 on dirt. If he doesn’t like the dirt, he can go back to the grass. I discussed it with Paul and we agreed this was a good time to find out.