Bolt d’Oro colt rallies to win $400,000 Kentucky Jockey Club S. (G2)

Instant Coffee added to Bolt d’Oro’s record year as a First-Crop sire with a come-from-behind victory in Saturday’s $400,000 Kentucky Jockey Club S. (G2) at Churchill Downs.

The dark bay colt was well off the early pace and got a wide trip around both turns, yet was in the clear most of the way. He came five-wide on the second turn and was within three lengths of the lead at the top of the stretch. Under a vigorous ride from Luis Saez, Instant Coffee surged to the lead in deep stretch and won going away by 1 ¼-lengths.

Instant Coffee collected 10 points as part of the “Road to the Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve” series, which offered points on a scale of 10-4-3-2-1 to the Top 5 finishers of the Jockey Club.

“This is one of the biggest reasons why we do this – to be on the Road to the Kentucky Derby,” trainer Brad Cox said. “We’re extremely proud of this colt to win like that in just his third start. He really does whatever you ask of him in the morning. It was a pretty slow pace but Luis kept after him and he was able to keep grinding out the win.”

Instant Coffee is owned by Al Gold’s Gold Square LLC and has won two of his three starts with earnings of $322,815. was bred in Kentucky by Sagamore Farm. Gold purchased the winner for $200,000 out of the 2021 Keeneland September Yearling sale.

Bolt d’Oro sits atop the 2022 First-Crop sire list with over $2.4 million in progeny earnings. He as five stakes winners, three of them graded winners, and 14 stakes horses overall.