Study Guide: 2024 Holy Bull Stakes
Jan 30, 2024
Gulfstream Park (Photo by Coglianese Photos)
All eyes will turn to Gulfstream Park this Saturday for the running of the $250,000 Holy Bull S. (G3), a 1 1/16-mile Road to the Kentucky Derby qualifier worth 20-10-6-4-2 points to the top five finishers.
The Holy Bull marks the three-year-old debut of Fierceness, the early favorite to win the 2024 Kentucky Derby (G1). Let’s meet Fierceness and his seven Holy Bull rivals:
Hades
Hades wins at Gulfstream Park (Photo by Coglianese Photography)
Start(s): 2
Wins: 2
Place: 0
Show: 0
Owner: D. J. Stable and Robert Cotran
Breeder: Ocala Stud, Joseph M. O’Farrell III, David O’Farrell, et al.
Trainer: Joseph Orseno
Jockey: Paco Lopez
Top Speed Rating: (98) when winning an allowance for Florida-breds at Gulfstream Park.
Total Earnings: $63,100
Sire: Awesome Slew
Dam: The Shady Lady
Color: Bay
After rallying to win his debut sprinting 5 1/2 furlongs at Gulfstream Park, Hades switched tactics for a seven-furlong allowance over the same track, leading almost all the way to trounce half a dozen Florida-bred rivals by eight lengths. That runaway victory yielded a flashy 98 Brisnet Speed rating, so Hades has every chance to record a top-two finish in the Holy Bull.
Inveigled
Inveigled wins at Gulfstream Park (Photo by Coglianese Photography)
Start(s): 5
Wins: 2
Place: 1
Show: 1
Owner: Mark B. Grier
Breeder: St. Simon Place
Trainer: Jane Cibelli
Jockey: Irad Ortiz Jr.
Top Speed Rating: (94) when finishing second in the James F. Lewis III S. at Laurel Park.
Total Earnings: $100,500
Sire: Enticed
Dam: Kitty Quality
Color: Dark bay/brown
Inveigled has consistently held his own against quality competition, most notably beating Holy Bull rival Sea Streak by 4 3/4 lengths in a $75,000 allowance optional claimer racing one mile at Gulfstream Park. But in the subsequent Mucho Macho Man S. over the same track and distance, Inveigled faltered to finish fourth (behind Sea Streak, who finished third), so Inveigled needs a rebound to turn the tables.
Otello
Otello (Photo by Coglianese Photography / Credit to Lauren King)
Start(s): 2
Wins: 2
Place: 0
Show: 0
Owner: WinStar Farm and Siena Farm
Breeder: Siena Farms
Trainer: Christophe Clement
Jockey: Luis Saez
Top Speed Rating: (91) when winning his debut at Aqueduct.
Total Earnings: $138,820
Sire: Curlin
Dam: Isabella Sings
Color: Chestnut
Otello was narrowly best when rallying to win his one-mile maiden special weight at Aqueduct by a neck, and he followed up with a closing triumph in the Mucho Macho Man over the same distance at Gulfstream. In the latter race, Otello had to wait in traffic around the turn and early in the homestretch, so his half-length victory is more impressive than first appears. He’s eligible to move forward with a clear trip in the Holy Bull.
Dancing Groom
Dancing Groom (Photo by Coglianese Photography)
Start(s): 4
Wins: 1
Place: 0
Show: 1
Owner: Alex Andres
Breeder: Don Alberto Corporation
Trainer: Antonio Sano
Jockey: Junior Alvarado
Top Speed Rating: (89) when finishing third in the Champagne (G1) at Aqueduct.
Total Earnings: $122,132
Sire: Vino Rosso
Dam: Snow Dancer
Color: Chestnut
Dancing Groom has already started twice on the Road to the Kentucky Derby, finishing third in the Champagne (G1) and sixth in the Kentucky Jockey Club (G2) last year. He’s bred to improve with maturity and may move forward while adding blinkers (a 21% winning move for trainer Antonio Sano), though Dancing Groom’s career-best 89 Brisnet Speed rating looks a little light against Saturday’s field.
[SCRATCHED] No More Time
No More Time wins at Gulfstream Park (Photo by Coglianese Photography)
Start(s): 3
Wins: 1
Place: 1
Show: 0
Owner: Morplay Racing
Breeder: MAMAS Thoroughbreds
Trainer: Jose D’Angelo
Jockey: Jose Ortiz
Top Speed Rating: (92) when breaking his maiden at Gulfstream Park.
Total Earnings: $36,780
Sire: Not This Time
Dam: Baroness Juliette
Color: Dark bay/brown
No More Time impressed in a one-mile maiden special weight at Gulfstream Park, pressing the pace before drawing off to win by 6 3/4 lengths with a 92 Brisnet Speed rating. But after launching an eye-catching rally around the turn of the Mucho Macho Man, he flattened out to finish fifth, 3 3/4 lengths behind Otello. No More Time will need a step forward to secure a stronger finish on Saturday.
Domestic Product
Domestic Product winning at Belmont Big A (Photo by Coglianese Photography)
Start(s): 3
Wins: 1
Place: 0
Show: 0
Owner: Klaravich Stables
Breeder: Klaravich Stables
Trainer: Chad Brown
Jockey: Tyler Gaffalione
Top Speed Rating: (87) when breaking his maiden at Aqueduct.
Total Earnings: $55,200
Sire: Practical Joke
Dam: Goods and Services
Color: Dark bay/brown
Domestic Product failed to factor when making his Road to the Kentucky Derby debut over a speed-favoring muddy track in the Remsen (G2) at Aqueduct, fading to finish seventh by a wide margin. But he’d previously dominated a 1 1/8-mile maiden special weight at Aqueduct by 4 1/2 lengths. That victory yielded a modest 87 Brisnet Speed rating, but Domestic Product showed good finishing speed that day and may have upside for improvement under the care of four-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Chad Brown.
Fierceness
Fierceness winning his debut at Saratoga (Photo by Coglianese Photos/Susie Raisher)
Start(s): 3
Wins: 2
Place: 0
Show: 0
Owner: Repole Stable
Breeder: Repole Stable
Trainer: Todd Pletcher
Jockey: John Velazquez
Top Speed Rating: (112) when winning the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) at Santa Anita.
Total Earnings: $1,102,750
Sire: City of Light
Dam: Nonna Bella
Color: Bay
Hands-down the horse to beat in the Holy Bull is Fierceness, voted champion two-year-old male of 2023 after trouncing a stellar field in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) by 6 1/4 lengths. That impressive performance produced a massive 112 Brisnet Speed rating, even higher than the 101 he posted in his runaway maiden victory at Saratoga. If Fierceness produces anything close to his A-game in the Holy Bull, his rivals are likely running for second place.
Sea Streak
Sea Streak wins at Belmont Big A (Photo by Coglianese Photography)
Start(s): 4
Wins: 1
Place: 2
Show: 1
Owner: Holly Crest Farm
Breeder: Holly Crest Farm
Trainer: Eddie Owens Jr.
Jockey: Luca Panici
Top Speed Rating: (91) when finishing second in the Smoke Glacken S. at Monmouth Park.
Total Earnings: $105,770
Sire: Sea Wizard
Dam: High Noon Nellie
Color: Bay
Sea Streak showed tenacity in the Mucho Macho Man, pressing the early pace before battling gamely down the homestretch to finish third by three-quarters of a length. He’ll be a pace factor in the Holy Bull and can’t be counted out of the mix for a top-five finish, though turning the tables on Otello could be tricky.
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