Holy Bull Offers 20-10-6-4-2 Kentucky Derby Points To Top-Five Finishers

Fierceness (Repole Stables), the 2023 Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) winner who was named champion 2-year-old at last week's Eclipse Awards dinner in Palm Beach, tops a field of eight 3-year-olds entered for the $250,000 Holy Bull Stakes (Grade 3) at Gulfstream Park on Saturday, February 3.

The Holy Bull, a 1 1/16-mile 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.

Trained by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher, Fierceness captured the 1 1/16-mile Juvenile at Santa Anita Nov. 3 by 6 ¼ 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 $175,000 Kitten's Joy attracted a field of \nine, headed by Todd Pletcher-trained Noted, who rebounded from an off-the-board finish in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile with a victory in the Dec. 9 Pulpit Stakes at Gulfstream while returning to turf.

The $175,000 Sweetest Chant drew a field of eight, including Dale Romans-trained Pharoah's Wine, who finished second in the Jessamine (G2) at Keeneland last fall.

The $125,000 Swale drew a field of nine, featuring the dirt debut of Victor Barboza-trained Grand Mo the First, who won his first two career starts on Tapeta at Gulfstream before finishing third on turf in the Zuma Beach (G3) at Santa Anita.

The $125,000 Forward Gal (G3) attracted a field of seven, including Saffie Joseph Jr.-trained R Harper Rose, who returns to sprinting after sustaining her first loss while finishing second in the 1 1/16-mile $300,000 FSS My Dear Girl. She had won her first three races at sprinting distances.

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Champion Fierceness Breezes for Feb. 3 Holy Bull (G3)

Jan 27 - Repole Stable's Fierceness, newly honored as 2023 champion 2-year-old, breezed at Palm Beach Downs Saturday morning in advance of next Saturday's $250,000 Holy Bull (G3) at Gulfstream Park. Trained by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher, the son of City of Light was timed in 49.33 seconds for a half-mile.

"I was very pleased. He had a serious work last week - fifty-nine-and-change [for five furlongs]. We were just looking for a maintenance work today," Pletcher said.

Fierceness is coming off a 6 ¼-length romp in the Nov.3 Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) at Santa Anita.

"Knock on wood. He's done everything super this winter. We're excited getting him going again," Pletcher said.

Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez, who guided Fierceness to victory in the Juvenile, was aboard for Saturday's breeze.

Courtlandt Farms' Change of Command breezed a half-mile at Payson Park Saturday morning in preparation for the Holy Bull. He was timed in 48.20 seconds, the fastest clocking of 66 half-mile workouts.

The Shug McGaughey-trained son of Into Mischief has won both of his starts during the Championship Meet heading into his scheduled start in the 1 1/16-mile prep for the $1 million Curlin Florida Derby (G1) March 30 at Gulfstream Park.

2024 Holy Bull Stakes (G3) Nominees

Jan 23 - Repole Stable's Fierceness, a dominating winner of the Nov. 3 Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1), tops a list of 23 nominations for the $250,000 Holy Bull (G3) at Gulfstream Park.

Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher has scheduled the Feb. 3 prep for the $1 million Curlin Florida Derby (G1) as the first start of the son of City of Light's 3-year-old campaign.

The Holy Bull will be featured on a program that will also include the $175,000 Kitten's Joy (G3), $175,000 Sweetest Chant and the $125,000 Claiborne Farm Swale.

Fierceness, who scored an 11 ¼-length debut score over a pair of next-out winners over a muddy Saratoga track Aug. 25 before finishing off the board following a troubled start in the Oct. 7 Champagne on a sloppy Aqueduct surface, was impressive in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Santa Anita while making his first start around two turns and on a fast track.

Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Walmac Farm's Locked, who finished third in the Juvenile after winning the Breeders' Futurity (G1) at Keeneland; Noted, who rebounded from an off-the-board Juvenile finish with a victory in the Dec. 9 Pulpit over Gulfstream's turf course; Stonestreet Stables LLC's Cardinale, who won his debut before losing by a neck in an optional claiming allowance at Gulfstream; St. Elias Stable and Repole Stable's Agate Road, who finished second on turf in the Dania Beach at Gulfstream following an off-the-board finish in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G1); and St. Elias Stable and West Point Thoroughbreds' Born Noble, a recent debut winner at Gulfstream; were also nominated to the 1 1/16-mile Holy Bull by Pletcher, although Fierceness is the only one who is presently scheduled to run.

Fierceness is currently scheduled to use the Holy Bull as a prep for the March 30 Curlin Florida Derby - the same schedule Pletcher set for Audible, who won the 2017 Holy Bull and Florida Derby before finishing third in the Kentucky Derby (G1).

Courtlandt Farms' Change of Command, who is coming off highly promising back-to-back victories at Gulfstream Park for Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey, is also prominent among the nominees for the Holy Bull.

The son of Into Mischief, who was purchased at the 2022 Keeneland September sale for $1,050,000, broke through win an impressive maiden score at seven furlongs Dec. 17 before withstanding race-long pressure to prevail over Cardinale in his two-turn debut Jan. 5.

Ribble Farms LLC's Honor Marie, who captured the 1 1/16-mile Kentucky Jockey Club (G2) at Churchill Downs in his 2-year-old campaign finale; has been nominated to the Holy Bull by trainer D. Whitworth Beckham.

Trainer Jose D'Angelo is represented on the Holy Bull noms list by Leon King Stable Corp.'s Bentornato, who dominated the first two legs of the FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes before his bid for a series sweep fell short by a length in the final; Morplay Racing's No More Time, a son of Not This Time who finished fifth in the Jan. 1 Mucho Macho Man at Gulfstream following a troubled start; and Tom Durant's Big City, a son of City of Light who finished second behind Born Noble in his recent debut at Gulfstream.

WinStar Farm LLC and Siena Farm LLC's Otello, a son of Curlin who remained undefeated in two starts with a late-running half-length victory in the one-turn mile Mucho Macho Man, is nominated to the Holy Bull, along with Holly Crest Farm's Sea Streak, and Mark Grier's Inveigled, who finished third and fourth, respectively, behind Otello.

Trainer Katarina Vassilieva nominated Chiefswood Stables United's Piper's Factor, who was runner-up in the Nov. 4 Grey Cup (G3) and Nov. 25 Coronation Futurity at Woodbine.

Brad Grady and David Grund's Seminole Chief, who captured the $300,000 In Reality final of the Florida Sire Stakes series, and C T R Stables LLC's Colorado Cruiser, a maiden winner at Santa Anita in his most recent start, have been nominated to the Holy Bull by trainer Jack Sisterson.

Trainer Antonio Sano, who saddled Gunnevera for a runner-up finish in the 2017 Holy Bull, has nominated Alexandres LLC's Dancing Groom, who finished third in the Champagne prior to an off-the-board finish in the Kentucky Jockey Club; and Cammarota Racing LLC's Secret Lover, who finished second behind Seminole Chief in the In Reality.

Screen Door Stables LLC's Squints, who captured the Nov. 22 Juvenile Sprint for Florida-breds at Gulfstream; D J Stable LLC's Hades, undefeated in two starts at Gulfstream; Mellon Patch Inc.'s Patriot Sprint, who captured the six-furlong Inaugural at Tampa Bay Downs Dec. 2; are also on the Holy Bull noms list.

The Kitten's Joy received 21 nominations, including Pletcher-trained Noted and Agate Road. Qatar Racing and Hunter Valley Farm's First World War, who broke his maiden on turf before a gutsy second-place finish behind Otello on dirt in the Mucho Macho Man, as been nominated to the Kitten's Joy, a 1 1/16-mile turf stakes for 3-year-olds.

Klaravich Stables Inc.'s Move to Gold, who broke his maiden in the Oct. 28 Awad at Aqueduct for trainer Chad Brown, is prominent among the Kitten's Joy nominees.

Granpollo Stables LLC's Grand Mo the First, who finished third on turf in the Oct. 8 Zuma Beach (G3) at Santa Anita after launching his career with two victories on Tapeta at Gulfstream, has been nominated to the Kitten's Joy by trainer Victor Barboza.

Lugamo Racing Stable LLC's Tocayo, Twin Brook Stables and partners' Depiction and Wathnan Racing's Edgartown, who finished first, third and fourth, respectively, in the Jan. 6 Dania Beach at Gulfstream are nominated for a return in the Kitten's Joy.

The Sweetest Chant, a 1 1/16-mile turf stakes for 3-year-old fillies attracted 19 nominations, including Gary Barber's Witwatersrand, who captured the Mazarine (G3) on Tapeta last time out at Woodbine; Nancy Delony, William Pacella and Frank Shoop's Pharoah's Wine, a son of American Pharoah who finished second in the Jessamine (G2) at Keeneland two starts back; and Repole Stable's Life's an Audible, who finished second in the Miss Grillo (G2) at Aqueduct before finishing second in the Ginger Brew last time out at Gulfstream.

The Swale, a seven-furlong sprint for 3-year-olds, drew 20 nominations, Mike McCarthy's Gold Sweep, who finished second in the six-furlong Sanford (G3), sixth in the seven-furlong Hopeful (G1) at Saratoga and fourth in the mile Champagne at Aqueduct for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen.