First-time starter Dazzle d’Oro earns TDN Rising Star at Churchill Downs
June 29, 2025
Dazzle d’Oro rocketed out of the gate and never looked back in his June 29 debut at Churchill Downs in a $120,000 maiden special weight contest.
The 2-year-old son of Bolt d’Oro blasted out of the gate and immediately opened up a two-length lead in the first furlong. He rolled through the half-mile in :44.47 and shrugged off a challenge from Blackout Time to come home a three-length winner in 1:.08.65, earning a Beyer Speed Figure of 84 and also being tagged as a TDN “Rising Star”.
The final time was just .04 seconds off the Bashford Manor S., which was run about an hour later at Churchill.
“I turned to the owners as the horses were going in the gate and said ‘Let’s get a good break and have a fair fight’ and he broke well,” said trainer Tom Amoss. “When [Dazzle d’Oro] made the lead, I turned to them and said ‘he has no excuses.’.”
Dazzle d’Oro is owned by Late Night Stables LLC and sold for $250,000 at the 2024 Keeneland September Yearling sale. The bay colt was bred in Kentucky by Nicky Drion Thoroughbreds, Macha Bloodstock and Stephanie Poole.
Amoss said of future plans for the colt, “We are excited for his future and we plan on taking him to Saratoga for the summer–the Saratoga Special would be under consideration.”
Currently fourth on the Fourth-Crop sire list, Bolt d’Oro’s progeny earnings in 2025 are just under $5 million. Dazzle d’Oro is Bolt d’Oro’s fifth career TDN Rising Star.