No one could get close to Bolden at the finish line in his abbreviated racing career in California. In four starts in sprints from the spring of 2020 until his final race this September, Bolden won by a combined 21 lengths. Bolden won two sprints on dirt at Santa Anita and turf sprints at Del Mar and Santa Anita. “He’s faster than 99.9 percent of your racehorses,” trainer Phil D’Amato said after Bolden won a five-furlong turf sprint at Del Mar in September. “He’s ultra-talented on dirt and grass.” The only thing lacking from Bolden’s career was longevity. He was pulled up after the September win at Del Mar and retired. Bolden will enter stud in February at Rancho San Miguel in San Miguel, Calif. Bolden will stand for $3,500, live foal guaranteed, according to a statement released on behalf of the farm earlier this month. Bolden is one of a very small number of stallions who will begin their stud careers at California farms in 2024. Finneus, a stakes winner at Del Mar on Breeders’ Cup weekend in 2021, will begin his stallion career at Lovacres Ranch in Warner Springs. Shaaz, a three-time winner who was third in the Grade 3 Steve Sexton Mile at Lone Star Park in 2022, will stand at Barton Thoroughbreds in Santa Ynez. Bolden, a 6-year-old California-bred by Square Eddie, was purchased for $100,000 as a yearling at the Fasig-Tipton California yearling sale in 2019 by trainer Peter Miller, acting as agent for Rockingham Farm. Miller was the first trainer of Bolden, guiding the then 2-year-old to a maiden race win in a five-furlong race for California-breds by 5 1/2 lengths in June 2020. Bolden did not race again for more than 23 months, returning with D’Amato as his trainer. In 2022, Bolden won allowance races for California-breds at Santa Anita by six lengths on dirt in May and a month later by 7 3/4 lengths on turf. Bolden set the pace in two of his starts and closed from off the pace in his other two wins. He rallied from seventh in a field of 12 to win an allowance race at five furlongs on turf on Sept. 10 at Del Mar. Bolden is out of Bas, by Flower Alley. Bas is a half-sister to Bold Decision, who won the minor Say Florida Sandy Stakes at six furlongs at Belmont Park in 2005. Finneus to stand at Lovacres Finneus had a three-year career from 2021 until October, highlighted by a win in the Golden State Juvenile at seven furlongs for statebred 2-year-olds at Del Mar in 2021. Finneus, who won 2 of 27 starts and earned $447,272, is by Stay Thirsty, who through Dec. 15 was second among California stallions in progeny earnings with slightly more than $4 million. Stay Thirsty led the list in 2021 and 2022. Finneus is out of My Fiona, by Ghostzapper. My Fiona won three stakes for California-breds in 2014. Aside from Finneus, My Fiona is the dam of Fi Fi Pharoah, winner of the Melair Stakes for statebred 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/16 miles at Santa Anita in 2021. Fi Fi Pharoah, by American Pharoah, earned more than $285,000. Lovacres is owned by Terry Lovingier, who said earlier this month that Finneus will start for $5,000, with special considerations. Aside from his win in the Golden State Juvenile, Finneus was second or third in six other stakes in 2021 and 2022, notably a second to Pinehurst in the Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity at seven furlongs in September 2021. Finneus was trained by Walther Solis, Miller, and Craig Dollase. Shaaz to Barton Thoroughbreds Shaaz is similar to Bolden in that he had brilliant speed, but an oft-interrupted career. Shaaz, who will stand for $5,000, live foal, won 3 of 5 starts and earned $190,107 in a two-year career in 2021 and 2022. Trained by Bob Baffert, Shaaz was purchased for $1.1 million at the 2020 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic 2-year-olds in training sale. Shaaz, who raced for Michael Petersen, won his debut in a maiden race at 6 1/2 furlongs on Dec. 26, 2021, at Santa Anita. Shaaz was second in an allowance race at seven furlongs in February 2022, but was promoted to first when a rival was deemed to have caused interference. Shaaz later won a one-mile allowance race at Santa Anita in April 2022. Later in 2022, Shaaz started in two stakes, finishing third in the Sexton Mile behind Silver Prospector, and later fourth in the Grade 1 Bing Crosby Stakes at Del Mar behind American Theorem. By Uncle Mo, Shaaz is out of Miss Ocean City, by Mineshaft. Miss Ocean City also is the dam of Azar, winner of the Grade 2 With Anticipation Stakes for 2-year-olds on turf at Saratoga in 2015.