Bolt d’Oro’s Ruby Nell scores in Grade 2 Buena Vista for home team

Ruby Nell speeds away to win the $200,000 Buena Vista S. (G2) at Santa Anita | Benoit photo

Bolt d’Oro’s rising filly Ruby Nell used her impressive speed to win the Buena Vista S. (G2) as the favorite at Santa Anita March 3rd.

Campaigned by Spendthrift and trainer Richard Mandella, Ruby Nell quickly assumed the lead as expected under jockey Edwin Maldonado and became a little keen around the first turn, opening up a sizable lead on her rivals heading down the backstretch. The classy filly came back to her rider while still flashing her high cruising speed.

Turning for home with little challenge in sight, Ruby Nell went about her business and hit the wire on top, stopping the clock in 1:35.01. Mouffy whittled into the margin of victory in the stretch but Ruby Nell was never in serious danger, finishing three-quarters of a length to the good.

“I never had a doubt that Ruby would win,” Mandella said after his fourth Buena Vista victory.

Bred by Solana Beach Sales in 2020, the Bolt d’Oro filly is out of the Not For Love mare Rich Love. She made a few trips to the sales ring, first as a $80,000 weanling, a $85,000 yearling, then finally as a $1,200,000 2-year-old sale-topper at Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream.

She won her first stakes race after switching to turf during her 3-year-old season, taking the Unzip Me S. at 6 1/2 furlongs. Ruby Nell backed that up in her next start with a successful step up to graded company in the Autumn Miss S. (G3) at a mile, which would prove to be her sweet spot. Finding her affinity for a mile on the grass, she scored another stakes win in the listed Lady of Shamrock S., closing out her sophomore campaign with a lifetime best 97 Beyer. She started 2024 with a trip to Gulfstream Park for the Pegasus World Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G3) where she finishing an even third after taking off the pace and encountering some traffic trouble.

“I was worried about her opening up too much against that type of field,” Mandella said. “I take the blame (for the Pegasus).”

Hailing from her sire’s first crop, Ruby Nell adds to the early graded stakes accomplishments for Bolt d’Oro, who stands at Spendthrift for a fee of $60,000 after becoming the Champion Freshman Sire in 2022.