Breeders' Cup Juvenile: Bolt d'Oro to get two-turn test in FrontRunner

Trainer Mick Ruis believes Bolt d’Oro will have no trouble stretching out around two turns. Saturday, the horse will offer his opinion.

Bolt d’Oro, the leader of the 2-year-old male division with two wins sprinting at Del Mar this summer, tries two turns and 1 1/16 miles for the first time in Saturday’s Grade 1, $300,000 FrontRunner Stakes at Santa Anita. The FrontRunner, which drew a field of nine, offers an automatic berth into the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile on Nov. 4 at Del Mar. The FrontRunner and the Juvenile are both run at 1 1/16 miles.

“The way he runs it looks like he’s going to stretch out, the breeding says he’s going to stretch out,” Ruis said. “We’re going to find out on Saturday.”

A victory in the FrontRunner would likely establish Bolt d’Oro as the favorite for the Juvenile, a race that lost two of its top contenders this week with the announced defections of Grade 1 Hopeful winner Sporting Chance (knee chip) and Ellis Park Juvenile winner Dak Attack (sore shin).

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Ruis said he didn’t have Bolt d’Oro fully cranked when he won the Del Mar Futurity, rallying from off the pace under Corey Nakatani to run down Zatter.

“I did not want Bolt to think he was a sprinter,” Ruis said. “All that, he did on his natural ability. That’s why I’m really excited to see if he’s going to stretch out like we think he will because he’s a little tighter than he was going into the Futurity.”

Ruis said Bolt d’Oro has grown both physically and mentally since his races at Del Mar.

“He’s getting more mentally fit where in the mornings he’s coming off a little more aggressive – like ‘I’m a racehorse,’” Ruis said.

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Bob Baffert, a three-time winner of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, entered both Zatter and Solomini in the FrontRunner. Baffert is still leaving his options open with Zatter, who is also nominated to the Grade 1 Champagne at Belmont on Oct. 7.

A couple of intriguing runners in the FrontRunner are Ayacara, who won a one-mile maiden race on dirt at Del Mar but who may be better bred for turf, and Encumbered, who is making his second start on dirt after winning twice routing on turf.

On Oct. 7, the Grade 1 Champagne at Belmont and the Grade 1 Breeders’ Futurity at Keeneland will likely both draw large fields as Win and You’re In races for the Juvenile.

Among those looking at the Champagne are Aveenu Malcainu, Crea’s Bklyn Law, Firenze Fire, Full of Run, Good Magic, Hazit, Honorable Treasure, Kowboy Karma, Stronger, and possibly Can’t Say No and Mojovation.

Among those eyeing the Breeders’ Futurity are Bourbon Resolution, Ezmosh, Free Drop Billy, Givemeaminit, and Ten City.

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