MGISW Bolt d'Oro (Medaglia d'Oro), who is in the midst of a 60-day freshening period at owner Mick Ruis's farm in Lexington, will be transferred to the care of Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen when he returns to the racetrack, Shelbe Ruis of Ruis Racing confirmed via Twitter Thursday. As first reported by the Blood-Horse, Mick Ruis, who trained the horse through the first eight starts of his career–including victories in the GI Del Mar Futurity, GI FrontRunner S. and GII San Felipe S.–elected to transfer the horse to Asmussen.
A good second behind eventual Triple Crown winner Justify (Scat Daddy) in the GI Santa Anita Derby Apr. 7, the bay subsequently went off form, finishing 12th in the May 5 GI Kentucky Derby and 11th facing older rivals in the June 9 GI Met Mile H. Upon his retirement, Bolt d'Oro is slated to stand at B. Wayne Hughes's Spendthrift Farm.
Shelbe Ruis added that 2016 GI Del Mar Debutante S. heroine Union Strike (Union Rags) would also join the Asmussen barn. The 4-year-old, most recently third in the GIII Chicago H. June 23, last worked at Keeneland July 5.
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