Mick Ruis, owner and trainer of Bolt d'Oro, on Monday said he likely would wait until Friday to name a rider for Bolt d'Oro in the Kentucky Derby.
Bolt d'Oro came open on Monday when Javier Castellano, who rode him in his last two starts, opted to ride Audible in the Derby.
Corey Nakatani rode Bolt d'Oro in his starts last year at age 2, but he and Ruis had a disagreement over a post-workout decision by Nakatani earlier this winter at Santa Anita, and thus Ruis replaced Nakatani with Castellano.
Victor Espinoza worked Bolt d'Oro occasionally in recent weeks, and Ruis had said at the time that Espinonza was in line as a replacement should Castellano defect. But on Monday Ruis texted "I have not decided" when asked specifically if Espinoza would take over.
Kent Desormeaux has become the go-to rider in races at Santa Anita for Ruis. He is scheduled to ride My Boy Jack -- trained by his brother, Keith -- in the Lexington Stakes on Saturday at Keeneland.