MarketWatch Analysis: Bolt d'Oro Leading Freshman Sire

Ahead of the premier summer race meets, Spendthrift Farm's Bolt d'Oro  has the lead in the freshman sire standings by progeny earnings and number of winners.

The 7-year-old son of Medaglia d'Oro  has sired eight winners from 20 starters so far, led by his daughter Bolts N Rainbows and son Owen's Leap, who both won at first asking and have earned $69,460.

Bred by Clearsky Farm and owned by Michael McLoughlin, Owen's Leap won his debut May 27 at Churchill Downs by 1 3/4 lengths in a five-furlong maiden special weight. McLoughlin bought the colt for $175,000 at the 2021 Keeneland September Yearling Sale from Paramount Sales' consignment.

Bolts N Rainbows, a homebred for Ruis Racing, which also raced Bolt d'Oro, won her debut June 19 at Churchill Downs by a length in a field of 11 going 4 1/2 furlongs.

Among his eight winners to date, broodmare sires from Mr. Prospector have a slight edge with three representatives: Owen's Leap's dam, Defy Gravity, is by Bandini, a grandson of Mr. Prospector through Fusaichi Pegasus; debut winner Major Dude is out of Mary Rita, a daughter of Distorted Humor, who is a grandson of Mr. Prospector through Forty Niner; and Pop d'Oro is out of Just Like Pop, who is by Unbridled's Song, a great-grandson of Mr. Prospector through Unbridled.

Defy Gravity was a stakes winner at 2, having won the Smart Halo Stakes at Laurel Park, while Mary Rita did not win at 2 but was stakes-placed at 3 with a third in the Orleans Stakes at Delta Downs, and Just Like Pop was unraced.

Bolt d'Oro was a multiple grade 1 winner at 2, so precocity in his first crop was anticipated. As a racehorse, the stallion won his debut Aug. 5 at Del Mar and then scored consecutive wins in the Del Mar Futurity (G1) and FrontRunner Stakes (G1) before finishing third in the Sentient Jet Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1). His eight winners include seven that won at first asking.

See Complete 2022 Freshman Sires List

Ashford Stud's 2018 Triple Crown winner, Justify , is leading the freshman class by stakes performances, with two stakes horses and a group-stakes winner in Statuette. Bred in Kentucky out of the Pivotal grade 1 winner Immortal Verse, Statuette won her debut May 28 at Navan and followed with a win in the Airlie Stud Stakes (G2) at the Curragh. The filly was bred by Merriebelle Stables and Orpendale/Chelston/Wynatt and is raced by Merriebelle with Coolmore and Georg von Opel's Westerberg. She is trained by Aidan O'Brien.

The only other freshman sire with a stakes winner is Ocala Stud's Girvin , who sired Astoria Stakes winner Devious Dame. Bred in Florida by Ocala Stud, where Girvin stands, Devious Dame is out of the unraced Quality Road  daughter The Shady Lady. The mare is a half sister to stakes winners Chary (Montbrook) and Courtesan (Street Sense ). One Up Bloodstock bought Devious Dame for $240,000 during the Ocala Breeders' Sales March 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale from Ocala Stud. The filly races for John Oxley and is trained by Norm Casse.  

By progeny earnings, Justify and Girvin rank second and third, respectively. Completing the top five by earnings are Lovacres Ranch's Smokem and Hill 'n' Dale Farms at Xalapa's Army Mule .

* Rank as of July 4, 2022