Grade 1 winner Bolt d'Oro transferred to Asmussen

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Bolt d’Oro, the multiple Grade 1-winning 2-year-old of 2017 who has had a star-crossed 3-year-old campaign, has been moved to trainer Steve Asmussen by owner and former trainer Mick Ruis.

Bolt d’Oro, who had been in Kentucky since his 11th-place finish in the Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap on June 9 at Belmont Park, arrived at Asmussen’s Saratoga barn on Friday. Ruis told the New York Racing Association publicity department that he needed to spend more of his time focusing on his scaffolding company based in San Diego.

“I’m super busy with my company right now, and the last six months of my life were only Bolt d’Oro and the Derby trail, so I just said the best thing for him is to have someone like Steve, who has [trained] three Horses of the Year,” Ruis said. “I told him, ‘This is what I know about him, this is what we’ve got out of him, Steve. He’s all yours.’ ”

Asmussen said he has been a fan of Bolt d’Oro since he first saw him last fall at the Breeders’ Cup. After winning his first three starts, including two Grade 1 races, Bolt d’Oro was the favorite in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Del Mar and finished third to Good Magic.

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This year, Bolt d’Oro was placed first via disqualification in the Grade 2 San Felipe and finished second to Justify in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby. He finished 12th in the Kentucky Derby before his last-place finish behind the Asmussen-trained Bee Jersey in the Met Mile.

“As everybody knows, he’s just an amazing physical,” Asmussen said Friday. “My admiration and interest in him as a racehorse began then. I’ve had many conversations with Mr. Ruis since then and am very fortunate to be in the situation we are to have him in the barn.”

Asmussen said there are no immediate plans for Bolt d’Oro, who is tentatively scheduled to be retired at the end of the year and stand stud at Spendthrift Farm.

“I think what we’re looking at is having him in a position to show what a great horse he is,” Asmussen said. “The time frame is up to Bold d’Oro.”