Holy Bull Review: Audible impressively enters Kentucky Derby picture

Feb 07, 2018 by James Scully/Brisnet.com

Audible was no longshot in the February 3 Holy Bull (G2) at Gulfstream Park, leaving the starting gate as the 3-1 third choice among nine runners, but nobody saw this performance coming.

Stepping up to make his first stakes appearance against a well-respected trio of proven rivals, the 3-year-old colt thrashed the competition with an impressive turn of foot into the short stretch and registered a whopping 105 BRIS Speed rating for a 5 ½-length decision.

He’s now won three straight for Todd Pletcher, a two-time Kentucky Derby winner who is seeking back-to-back scores following the success of Always Dreaming last year, and the top trainer will wait to make a decision about the best possible path to Churchill Downs. Observers are excited to see Audible’s next appearance in the Road to the Kentucky Derby series.

A New York-bred son of Into Mischief, Audible has really come on since opening his racing career with a third versus state-bred maiden rivals at Belmont Park in late September. He followed with a victory over restricted foes at Aqueduct in mid-November and was scheduled to run back three weeks later in an entry-level turf allowance. When the one-mile event was moved off turf, Audible rolled to a 9 ¾-length decision in a four-horse field.

A $500,000 Fasig-Tipton Florida March 2-year-old purchase, Audible advanced to take the lead rounding the far turn of the 1 1/16-mile Holy Bull but Free Drop Billy was also accelerating into contention and drew alongside approaching the stretch. But any chance for a climatic finish was quickly eliminated as Audible seemingly shifted into another gear, quickly dismissing the challenge and powering away to a resounding triumph.

His BRIS Speed ratings have improved in every start (85-91-94-105) and Audible generated a 112 BRIS Late Pace rating in his two-turn debut.

Free Drop Billy was no match for Audible but well clear of the rest in second, recording a career-topping 99 BRIS Speed figure. A convincing winner of the Breeders’ Futurity (G1) last fall, the Union Rags colt rebounded from a dismal ninth as the 7-1 second choice in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) and easily performed best of three Dale Romans runners.

Stablemate Tiz Mischief, the 3-1 second choice following a head-bobbing second in the Kentucky Jockey Club (G2) at Churchill Downs, wound up another 7 ¾ lengths back in third and received a modest 90 BRIS Speed rating. Kentucky Jockey Club victor Enticed didn’t experience the best trip as the 9-5 favorite but his well-beaten fourth was disappointing to say the least.