Derby Preps Primer: Holy Bull Stakes

By Margaret Ransom

Tiz the Law – Photo courtesy of WinStar Farm.

And on the road to the Kentucky Derby (G1) we go. Saturday marks the 31st running of the Holy Bull Stakes (G2) at Gulfstream Park, the south Florida oval’s first major prep in the run up to the first Saturday in May for the opening leg of the Triple Crown.

The 1 1/16-mile main track test offers Road to the Derby points to the top four finishers on a 10-4-2-1 scale, which as of now even a second-place finish could put a runner in the hunt to make the gate to Run for the Roses.

Holy Bull, a son of Great Above and the Al Hattab mare Sharon Brown, was 1994’s Horse of the Year after a spectacular 3-year-old season that included wins in the Hutcheson Stakes, Florida Derby and Blue Grass Stakes on the road to the Derby. He finished an uncharacteristic 12th under the Twin Spires in what was a hotly debated topic about whether or not he was drugged, so much so that even his owner/trainer Jimmy Croll believed it due to the horse’s unusual performance.

Holy Bull at Jonabell Farm – Photo Courtesy of DarleyAmerica.com

Fortunately, his Derby run did not define his career as he went on to win the Met Mile, Dwyer Stakes, Haskell Invitational, Travers Stakes, and Woodward Stakes. He was also 1994’s champion 3-year-old. To racing fans, Holy Bull is one of the great grays of all time and joined a club that includes other notable grays like Native Dancer, Spectacular Bid, Winning Colors, Princess Rooney and Lady’s Secret. He stood a lengthy stud career at Darley at Jonabell in Kentucky, where he was a standout sire and was represented by names like Confessional, Macho Uno and Giacomo. He also is the broodmare sire to many top notch runners. He was inducted into Racing’s Hall of Fame in 2001 and died 2 ½ years ago at the age of 26 at Jonabell, where he spent his entire post-race life. Since it was first contested in 1991 as the Preview Stakes (and renamed in 1996 for the 1994 winner), the Holy Bull has seen some good horses reach the winner’s circle, including Derby winners Go For Gin (1994) and Barbaro (2006). Other recognizable names to have won the race, which has been contested at various distances from a mile to 1 3/16ths miles, include Hal’s Hope, Offlee Wild, Nobiz Like Shobiz, Dialed In, Irish War Cry, Audible and upset winner Harvey Wallbanger a year ago. It is the traditional prep for the Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2), set for Feb. 29.

Nicholas Zito – Photo Courtesy of Keeneland.com

Hall of Famer Nick Zito has saddled the most Holy Bull winners with three (Go For Gin, 1994; Suave Prospect, 1995; and Dialed In, 2011) while retired Hall of Famer Jerry Bailey has ridden five winners, the most recent 21 years ago aboard Cape Town.

On Saturday, a field of seven is expected to go postward, most of them looking for their first Derby points,

The South Florida weather is set to be warm and humid with rain and thunderstorms likely in the afternoon. The Holy Bull is the 11th race with a post time of 5:04 p.m. ET.

The field, with jockeys and trainers: