Mo Donegal, Giant Game head nine in Holy Bull; Radio Days vies for Oaks points in Forward Gal
Feb 02, 2022
The first of three Kentucky Derby qualifiers at Gulfstream
Park, Saturday’s $250,000 Holy Bull S. (G3) drew a solid field of nine, many
with serious aspirations for the first Saturday in May. Top draws include
Remsen S. (G2) winner Mo Donegal and
Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) third-placer Giant
Game.
A 17-point Road to the Kentucky Derby series event, the 1 1/16-mile Holy
Bull will share the spotlight with the $100,000 Forward Gal S. (G3), a seven-furlong
test for three-year-old fillies that serves as a qualifier for the Kentucky
Oaks (G1). Radio Days, a smashing
winner over maiden and entry-level allowance rivals in New York, will make her
stakes debut for Shug McGaughey.
Conditioned by two-time Kentucky Derby winner Todd Pletcher,
Mo Donegal has been installed as the 3-1 morning line favorite in the Holy
Bull. The bay colt, a son of Uncle Mo, will bring a two-race win streak to the
Holy Bull, gamely scoring by a nose margin in the 1 1/8-mile Remsen last out in
early December. Irad Ortiz Jr. retains the mount.
Giant Game, a smashing three-length maiden winner at Churchill
Downs two back, offered a threatening middle move before checking in third in
the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Del Mar. By Giant’s Causeway, the Dale
Romans-trained colt will add the services of Luis Saez for his second stakes
attempt.
Grade 2 turf scorer Tiz
the Bomb, a rallying second in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1), will
switch back to dirt for Kenny McPeek. A 14-length maiden winner on
the main track at Ellis Park, the late-running son of Hit a Bomb will be
running late with Brian Hernandez.
Mucho Macho Man S. victor Simplification merits respect in his first graded stakes appearance,
and White Abarrio, a convincing
winner in his first two starts at Gulfstream, can’t be dismissed after
finishing third in the Kentucky Jockey Club S. (G2) at Churchill Downs.
In the Forward Gal, Radio Days will jump to stakes
competition following an 8 1/2-length romp over entry-level allowance foes at
Aqueduct in early December. Dylan Davis will be in to ride the Gun Runner
filly.
Girl With a Dream,
winner of the Dec. 27 Letellier Memorial S. at Fair Grounds, invades for Brad
Cox, and Saez will take over the reins. Diamond
Wow, who exits a head second in the Jessamine (G2) on Keeneland’s turf, and
restricted stakes winner Disco Ebo
are also possible players. Greatitude,
a convincing maiden winner in her second start for Pletcher, will receive
support in her stakes debut.
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