Takeaways from 2023 Holy Bull Stakes

Feb 07, 2023 James Scully/TwinSpires.com

Rocket Can made his stakes debut a winning one in the Holy Bull (G3) at Gulfstream Park on Feb. 4, rallying to win by nearly a length, and he
earned 20 points for winning the
Road to
the Kentucky Derby series event
. The 1 1/16-mile race is the first of three
Kentucky Derby qualifiers at the South Florida oval, along with the Fountain of
Youth (G2) on March 4 and Florida Derby (G1) on April 1. 

Breaking from post 8, Rocket Can traveled wide the entire
way and responded when asked by jockey Junior Alvarado entering the far turn,
offering a nice run to seize the lead by the top of the stretch. He comfortably
proved best by about a length, netting a 106 Brisnet Late Pace rating.

The up-and-coming colt will have more to offer. It wasn’t
the fastest race, but Rocket Can gained a measure of confidence and needed this
performance to build upon.
The
Holy Bull marked
his first win over a fast track.

By two-time Kentucky Derby-winning sire Into Mischief,
Rocket Can has the right breeding and the right trainer in Kentucky Derby
winner Bill Mott. His juvenile form wasn’t much, so he’s clearly advanced over
the winter, and supporters can take the glass-half-full approach exiting the
Holy Bull, projecting significant improvement over the next few months. 

(Photo by Coglianese Photos/Ryan Thompson)

Low Brisnet Speed ratings don’t bode well for Kentucky Derby
contenders, and Rocket Can earned a disappointing 93 figure for the Holy Bull. It
will be one of the slowest qualifiers of the year.

His best Speed rating (96), a two-length maiden tally, came
in the slop.

The late runner got away with a slow effort in the Holy
Bull, but Rocket Can’s Speed ratings must improve next time. 

Rocket Can, with Junior Alvarado @JuniorandKellyA, takes the #HolyBull Gr.3 at #GulfstreamPark! pic.twitter.com/9LqVfMkGyk

— Gulfstream Park (@GulfstreamPark) February 4, 2023

Shadow Dragon had
never faced open rivals and was exiting a dud performance in his initial stakes
attempt, but the 34-1 outsider made an impact from well off the pace, circling
rivals on the far turn to wind up a clear second to his stablemate.

Overlooked at 7-1 in his first two starts, Shadow Dragon
didn’t distinguish himself rallying from far back to win a state-bred maiden
race at Aqueduct in late September, and he never factored when trying restricted
stakes foes in the Sleepy Hollow S. in late October, checking in a well-beaten
sixth behind Arctic Arrogance.

The Mott-trained son of Army Mule relished the stretch out to
two turns, but Shadow Dragon will need to back up this performance next time.
His runner-up effort calls into question the Holy Bull’s quality.

Cyclone Mischief,
the 6-5 favorite off a sharp one-turn allowance win, beat only one horse and has
now faltered badly in both two-turn stakes attempts. Dale Romans said he may
give the colt another shot at a qualifier, but evidence suggests Cyclone
Mischief prefers one-turn races.

.@James_Scully111, @GallantFox1930, and Vance Hanson look back at last weekend's classic preps and other three-year-old doings in this week's #RacingRoundtable. ✍️https://t.co/hQmJcavw5m

— TwinSpires Racing