Grade 3 Holy Bull Offers 20-10-6-4-2 Kentucky Derby Points

UPDATE: JAN 27 - Buetane, runner-up in the Grade 1 Hopeful at Saratoga last September and Grade 2 San Vicente at Santa Anita three weeks ago, is not going to make the trip from California, trainer Bob Baffert said Monday. Baffert said Buetane's Tuesday flight was canceled due to weather concerns.

Game for It, a debut winner sprinting at Aqueduct on Dec. 10, is "99 percent" certain to scratch and wait for the Sam. F. Davis at Tampa Bay Downs on Feb. 7, trainer Chad Summers said.

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The 2026 Holy Bull Stakes (G3) will run at Gulfstream Park on Saturday, January 31 and offers Kentucky Derby qualifications points to the top five finishers on a 20-10-6-4-2 basis.

The 152nd running of the $5 million guaranteed Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (Grade I) will be run on Saturday, May 2nd, 2026 and for the ninth consecutive year, a tiered point system in select races will determine who qualifies to America's greatest race.

The 37th running of the 1 1/16-mile Holy Bull is also the next step on Gulfstream Park's road to the $1 million Florida Derby (G1) March 28. It is supported by four other stakes for sophomores totaling $925,000 in purses including the $165,000 Fasig-Tipton Forward Gal (G3) for fillies sprinting seven furlongs.

Bravaro & Incredibolt Targeting 2026 Holy Bull Stakes (G3)

Grade 3 winner Incredibolt, undefeated New York-bred stakes winner Bravaro and Nearly, on a two-race win streak, are each targeting the $275,000 Holy Bull (G3) Jan. 31 at Gulfstream Park.

The 1 1/16-mile Holy Bull for 3-year-olds is the next step on Gulfstream's road to the $1 million Curlin Florida Derby (G1) March 28, preceded by the one-mile Mucho Macho Man Jan. 3 and followed by the $400,000 Fountain of Youth (G2), also at 1 1/16 miles.

Pin Oak Stud's Incredibolt, trained by Riley Mott, has won back-to-back races starting with a two-length maiden triumph Sept. 28 going one mile in his second start. Last out he went last-to-first to capture the 1 1/16-mile Street Sense (G3) Oct. 26.

Albert Ciuffetelli, Stephanie Brennan, Shining Stables, BAG Racing Stables and Paul Braverman's Bravaro is two-for-two, both at Aqueduct against New York-breds. The Saffie Joseph Jr. trainee graduated by a length sprinting six furlongs then won the one-mile Sleepy Hollow Oct. 26 by 2 ½ lengths. Joseph won the 2022 Holy Bull with White Abarrio.

Centennial Farms' Nearly was an eye-catching 9 ¼-length maiden winner sprinting six furlongs against Florida-breds Nov. 22 at Gulfstream, where he returned to beat winners in an open seven-furlong allowance by five lengths Jan. 2. Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher has won the Holy Bull twice, with Algorithms in 2012 and Audible in 2018.

Also under consideration for the Holy Bull are last-out maiden winners Cannoneer, Game for It, Global Aviator and Project Ace, as well as Mucho Macho Man runner-up Roger That Dana and Thunder Chuck, second in Gulfstream's Nov. 22 Juvenile Sprint and third in the Mucho Macho Man.

The 37th running of the Holy Bull is one of five stakes for 3-year-olds, two graded, worth $975,000 in purses on the program. Sophomore fillies move closer to the $275,000 Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2) March 28 in the $175,000 Forward Gal (G3) sprinting seven furlongs.

Leading the Forward Gal nominees are Arindel homebred Mythical, a winner of five of six starts including stakes victories in the Tremont and Adirondack (G3) in New York and Gulfstream's FSS Susan's Girl and My Dear Girl against Florida-breds; and Mike Repole's Zany, undefeated in two starts including the Dec. 6 Demoiselle (G2).

Also on the Holy Bull undercard are the $175,000 Sweetest Chant for fillies and $175,000 Kitten's Joy, each scheduled for 1 1/16 miles on the grass, and $175,000 Swale sprinting seven furlongs on the main track.

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