Bolt d'Oro worked a half-mile in 48.20 seconds Saturday morning at Santa Anita in his final drill for the Kentucky Derby next Saturday.

Victor Espinoza, his Derby jockey, was up for the work. Bolt d'Oro went by himself.

"Just an easy work," said Mick Ruis, Bolt d'Oro's owner and trainer, who frequently bounces ideas off top local trainers and said he followed a recommendation from trainer Richard Mandella.

"He said after watching his last work I didn't need to do too much," Ruis said. "He said if I didn't have him fit off his two races this year and his work, he'd never be fit."

Ruis said he instructed Espinoza to sit still, lest he incur the wrath of Zoe Cadman, who works for XBTV and has closely followed Bolt d'Oro's progress this spring.

"I told Victor not to move a muscle or Zoe Cadman would kick his a--," Ruis said.

Ruis also said that Aimee Dollase, a well-respected assistant trainer who previously worked for her late father, Wally, as well as Tom Proctor and Graham Motion, would be helping him Derby week in Kentucky, would accompany Bolt d'Oro if he goes on to the next legs of the Triple Crown, and then would stay on as an assistant back in California, where Ruis is based.

Editor's note/opinion: Aimee Dollase is one of the best, hardest-working people I've ever been around. This is a tremendous hire.