Javier Castellano will ride Bolt D'Oro in the Santa Anita Derby on April 7, trainer-owner Mick Ruis told the Los Angeles Times on Monday. Ruis had given the three-time Eclipse Award winning jockey until Monday afternoon to declare his intention to ride the horse.
A top jockey such as Castellano will get many offers to ride the best horses and has to choose which one will offer him the best chance to win the Kentucky Derby. April 7 is also the day of the Wood Memorial at Aqueduct and Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland. Castellano agreeing to come west for the Santa Anita Derby is a strong indication that he would continue to ride the 3-year-old colt in the Kentucky Derby, should Bolt D'Oro perform as expected at Santa Anita.
Ruis had Victor Espinoza as a backup should Castellano have chosen to stay east. Espinoza, a Hall of Famer and winner of the Triple Crown, will likely now start looking for a strong horse to ride in the last major Derby prep.
Castellano, who is currently riding in Florida, rode Bolt D'Oro to a disqualification win in the San Felipe Stakes at Santa Anita on Saturday.
