Burnham Square last to first in Holy Bull; Eclatant rallies in Forward Gal

Feb 01, 2025 Kellie Reilly/Brisnet.com

Whitham Thoroughbreds’ homebred Burnham Square rolled past favored Tappan Street to win Saturday’s $250,000 Holy Bull (G3) at Gulfstream Park, earning his first 20 points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby.

One race later, trainer Brad Cox scored career win number 2,500 when Stonestreet Stables’ homebred Eclatant captured the $155,000 Forward Gal (G3) on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks. Her 20-point haul gives her a total of 23 points, and she’s now atop the Oaks leaderboard.

Both Burnham Square and Eclatant are out of mares by the late Scat Daddy, whose legacy includes siring Triple Crown champion Justify.

Holy Bull (G3)

Tappan Street, himself a Cox trainee, was expected to furnish the milestone win as the 1.70-1 favorite in the Holy Bull. But it was the other recent Gulfstream maiden winner, the 4.30-1 Burnham Square, who stepped up in his stakes debut.

Trained by Ian Wilkes and ridden by Edgard Zayas, Burnham Square was coming off a nine-length romp over this track and 1 1/16-mile trip on Dec. 28. The Liam’s Map gelding responded to the addition of blinkers that day, and he made it two in a row with the headgear here.

Burnham Square was unhurried in last early before improving his position on the backstretch. Tappan Street likewise was content to bide his time off the pace in the initial stages.

Meanwhile, Kinetic Control led through an opening quarter in :23.42. Then Guns Loaded grabbed a slim lead through fractions of :47.60 and 1:11.69. By that point, the stalking Ferocious offered a short-lived challenge.

But Tappan Street was moving with even greater intent, and the favorite soon overhauled the weakening leaders rounding the far turn. Just when it appeared that he might give them the slip, Burnham Square was himself taking off in pursuit.

Despite getting bumped in traffic on the turn, Burnham Square quickly altered course to the outside, regained momentum, and tackled Tappan Street in the stretch. The bay drove 1 3/4 lengths clear in a final time of 1:43.60 and paid $10.60.

Tappan Street picked up 10 points for his fine runner-up effort in just his second career start, and first time around two turns. He drew 9 1/4 lengths clear of Burning Glory, yet another last-out maiden winner, who churned on from the back of the pack in third (six points).

Ferocious tired to fourth, adding four points for a total of 12, and He’s Not Joking received two points in a non-threatening fifth. Kinetic Control and Guns Loaded concluded the order under the wire.

Burnham Square enhanced his record to 4-2-1-1, $202,330. A deep-closing second and third, respectively, at Keeneland and during the Stars of Tomorrow II program at Churchill Downs, he’s put it all together in the blinkers at Gulfstream. His experience likely helped him get the better of Tappan Street in the Holy Bull, so we may have the beginnings of an intriguing rivalry.

Kentucky-bred Burnham Square is out of the Scat Daddy mare Linda, who won Churchill’s Mrs. Revere (G2) on the turf in 2016. Linda is in turn a daughter of Grade 2-winning turf performer Beautiful Noise, by 1983 Kentucky Derby (G1) hero Sunny’s Halo.

Forward Gal (G3)

Eclatant, third on the stretch-out in the Golden Rod (G2) last time out, prospered by reverting to one turn in the Forward Gal. The Into Mischief filly is now unbeaten in sprints.

Patiently handled by Luis Saez, Eclatant was settled several lengths off the pace set by favorite Rojo Rita in splits of :22.04 and :44.76. Eclatant’s stablemate, Stunner, chased the leader and pounced first. But Eclatant stayed on determinedly down the lane to prevail by 1 1/4 lengths.

Stunner held second (10 points) by one length from The Queens M G (six points). Unchained Elaine, who was looking for room on the inside at one point, ultimately checked in fourth (four points), and fifth-placer Frida collected two points.

Rojo Rita crossed the wire sixth, but the stewards disqualified her and placed her last for veering in early and causing a chain reaction of interference. My Denysse officially became the sixth-placer, followed by Costa Amalfitana, Justinqueso, Volatiled, the badly-hampered Beyond Belief, and the demoted Rojo Rita.

Eclatant negotiated seven furlongs in 1:23.61 and returned $10. The bay has bankrolled $260,560 from her 4-3-0-1 line, including a Churchill maiden and a Keeneland allowance.

The Kentucky-bred is a full sister to Grade 2 turf winner Mutasaabeq. Both were produced by the Scat Daddy mare Downside Scenario, herself a half to multiple Group 3 scorer Cool Cowboy. This is the immediate family of 2023 Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) victor White Abarrio, who just dominated last Saturday’s Pegasus World Cup (G1).

Cox indicated that both Eclatant and Stunner are likely to stick to their one-turn specialty, mentioning the Eight Belles (G2) as a target rather than the Oaks.