West Point jumped in to buy the first horse to change hands at the 100th Fasig-Tipton Saratoga select yearling sale, eager to secure this New York-bred colt Monday night from the first crop of a sire who proved to be in hot demand throughout the two-day sale.

Ten sons and daughters of Bolt d’Oro sold in this select marketplace over the two nights, with a high price of $1.4-million and an average of $407,000.

Bolt d’Oro is that kind of promising young sire: so well regarded by Spendthrift Farm (the operation where Into Mischief has jumped to the top of the American sire ranks) that in 2020, it was the up-and-comer Bolt d'Oro chosen to be the mate for Beholder, a two-time champion and sure-fire Hall of Fame candidate.

Not only is this a New York-bred, which presents the highest state-bred purse incentives in the country, but he is also from a female family that, in the parlance of the racing game, is considered “active,” i.e. with recent flattering results on the racetrack. That comes from this colt’s 2-year-old half sister, who was the first runner to represent their dam, Tarquinia, by Speightown. The 2-year-old half sibling, named Shesawildjoker, scored in her debut at Belmont in July and competed in open graded stakes at Saratoga.

Bolt d’Oro himself was a supreme 2-year-old, winning the Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity and Grade 1 Frontrunner Stakes in Southern California for owner-breeder-trainer Mick Ruis, who bought the son of Medaglia D'’Oro at this very same sale at Saratoga in 2016.

Christophe Clement, a perennial force with New York-breds during the Saratoga meet, will train the bay colt. “He is West Point quality, I really like him,” Christophe said.

Price includes all acquisition costs and all training, veterinary, and insurance expenses until January 1, 2023.