Bolt d’Oro colt gets first stakes win at The Curragh

Bolt d’Oro’s Bold Discovery tallied his first stakes win July 2 at The Curragh in Ireland when the 3-year-old colt won the $109,109 Celebration S. at a mile over the historic turf course.

After breaking his maiden in his debut last September, Bold Discovery was Group 3 placed before getting the winter off. He returned to be second in another Group 3 in April. After trying the Irish Guineas (G1) in late May, he returned to his winning form in the Celebration.

He was well-placed right out of the gate and tracked the pacesetter in second until hitting the top of the lane, when jockey Shane Foley roused him to the lead. Going strong through the lane, he held off the charge of Tarawa very willingly, winning by a half-length.

“That’s what he was showing us earlier in the year,” said trainer Jessica Harrington. “He had allergies and kept scoping wrong after his races, but we’ve been able to treat them since the [Irish 2000] Guineas and he’s alright now. He loved going around that bend and, for a big horse, he goes on that quick ground. That was really good and I’d say he will come forward from that and get a bit of confidence.”

Owned by Marc Chan, Bold Discovery is 2-1-1 in six starts. The bay colt was bred in Kentucky by CHC Inc. He is the first foal out of Caribbean Babe, whose siblings include graded stakes winners Independence Hall and Black Onyx.

After finishing 2022 as the champion Freshman Sire, Bolt d’Oro currently leads the Second-Crop list black type winners, graded stakes winners, black type horses, individual winners, and wins.