Road To Kentucky Derby: Fierceness Tops Field For Holy Bull
Repole Stable’s Fierceness, the 2023 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) winner who was named champion 2-year-old at last week’s Eclipse Awards dinner in Palm Beach, Fla., tops a field of eight 3-year-olds entered for Saturday’s $250,000 Holy Bull (G3) at Gulfstream Park.
The Holy Bull, a prep for the $1-million Curlin Florida Derby (G1) will headline a program with four stakes for newly turned 3-year-olds, including the $175,000 Kitten’s Joy, a 1 1/16-mile stakes on turf, the $175,000 Sweetest Chant, a 1 1/16-mile stakes on turf for fillies, the $125,000 Claiborne Farm Swale, a seven-furlong sprint, and the $125,000 Forward Gal (G3), a seven-furlong sprint for 3-year-old fillies.
The 1 1/16-mile Holy Bull also is a Kentucky Derby qualifier, providing points toward starting eligibility in the Louisville classic on a 20-10-6-4-2 scale to the top five finishers.
Trained by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher, Fierceness captured the 1 1/16-mile Juvenile at Santa Anita Nov. 3 by 6¼ lengths over next-out San Vicente (G2) winner Muth.
WinStar Farm LLC and Siena Farm LLC’s Otello, who captured the Jan. 1 Mucho Macho Man, is entered to return in the Holy Bull. The Christophe Clement-trained son of Curlin is undefeated in two career starts.
Holly Crest Farm’s Sea Streak, who led in the stretch of the mile Mucho Macho Man before finishing just a half-length back in third, was entered in the Holy Bull by trainer Eddie Owens Jr. The New Jersey-bred son of Sea Wizard had previously finished second behind Inveigled in a mile optional claiming allowance.
Mark Grier’s Inveigled, who lost a photo finish while finishing second in the James F. Lewis Stakes at Laurel prior to his Gulfstream optional claiming allowance win, has been entered in the Holy Bull by trainer Jane Cibelli. The son of Enticed finished a troubled fourth in the Mucho Macho Man.
Trainer Chad Brown is represented in the Holy Bull field by Klaravich Stables Inc.’s Domestic Product, who finished off the board in the Remsen (G2) at Aqueduct last time out.
Alexandres LLC’s Dancing Groom, who finished off the board in the Kentucky Jockey Club (G2) and a distant third in the Champagne (G1) in his last two starts, was entered in the Holy Bull by trainer Antonio Sano.
D J Stable LLC and Robert Cotran’s Hades will put his undefeated record on the line in the Holy Bull. The Joe Orseno-trained son of Awesome Slew has won his first two races in impressive fashion at Gulfstream.
Morplay Racing’s No More Time, who finished fifth in the Mucho Macho Man following a troubled start, was entered in the Holy Bull by trainer Jose D’Angelo.
The field for the $250,000 Holy Bull (G3) in post-position order, with jockey:
1 Hades P. Lopez
2 Inveigled I. Ortiz Jr.
3 Otello L. Saez
4 Dancing Groom J. Alvarado
5 No More Time, J. Ortiz
6 Domestic Product, T. Gaffalione
7 Fierceness J. Velazquez
8 Sea Streak L. Panici
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