The Grade 3, $250,000 Holy Bull Stakes not only is a "Road to the Kentucky Derby" race in which the top four finishers earn points that will enable them to start in the Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve, but also kicks off the Gulfstream Park three-race series that moves on to the Fountain of Youth Stakes on Feb. 29 and ends with the Florida Derby on March 28. Only two of the seven entrants in this year's Holy Bull possess stakes-winning credentials, but there are a number of horses which have put in big efforts recently and might be up to the task. Among the previous stakes winners, Tiz the Law, who won the Grade 1 Champagne Stakes in October, has to be mentioned first, although he could only manage third as the heavy favorite in the Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes following the Champagne. Relentless Dancer is the other stakes winner, having romped home by more than 10 lengths in the Louisiana Legacy Stakes when last seen in mid-October. Recent strong winners over the track include Mayberry Deputy and Ete Indien, who beat Toledo home by two lengths last month. Uncork the Bottle enters the race undefeated in three starts, two dirt sprints and a turf route, so this will be his first try around two turns on dirt. Clear Destination won or placed in five of nine races last year, the last seven at Woodbine in Canada, and he too is trying two turns on dirt for the first time.
Mayberry Deputy has improved markedly in both starts since his career debut in early November and may be the one to beat in this year’s Holy Bull Stakes. Although eighth in his debut, Mayberry Deputy showed some talent moving quickly mid-race from sixth to third before tiring. In his second start 15 days later Mayberry Deputy finished second to runaway seven-length winner Gold Street, recent winner of the Smarty Jones Stakes and on many a racing fan’s Kentucky Derby contender list. Stretched out to a mile at the end of December, Mayberry Deputy moved up nicely from fifth in the early stages to be just off the leader at the top of the stretch before drawing off to win by two and one-half lengths, improving to a career-best 102 Equibase Speed Figure following an 86 figure one month earlier. Getting the extra sixteenth of a mile in the Holy Bull should not be an issue for this son of Majesticperfection, a sire who has produced four stakes winners in dirt route stakes for 3-year-olds in the past few years including 2016 Kentucky Oaks winner Lovely Maria. Additionally, trainer Kenny McPeek won the 2019 Holy Bull with Harvey Wallbanger at odds of 29-1. Mayberry Deputy, like Harvey Wallbanger last year, is coming off a maiden win.
Relentless Dancer is the only horse in the field to have won a race around two turns on dirt. Due to the configuration of the track at Delta Downs, although the Louisiana Legacy Stakes, which Relentless Dancer won last October, was a seven furlong race, it was run around two turns. Like Mayberry Deputy, Relentless Dancer has improved in all three career starts to date. He ran poorly in his debut last August, a turf sprint, then won his next start on dirt in September by nearly 10 lengths with an 87 speed figure. One month later Relentless Dancer improved again and won by 10 ½ lengths with a 91 figure. Although that figure is substantially lower than the 102 figure Mayberry Deputy earned in his most recent start, we must remember Relentless Dancer ran that race in the middle of October, so projecting physical maturity in the ensuing three and one-half months, Relentless Dancer must be considered to have a big shot in this year’s Holy Bull.
Tiz the Law was most impressive winning the first two starts of his career, including the Champagne Stakes (a one-turn mile) in October with a 93 figure. Nearly two months later, Tiz the Law disappointed when third as the odds-on favorite in the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes, run around two turns on a sloppy track. Although beaten three-quarters of a length at the wire in the Jockey Club, Tiz the Law made no headway in the stretch where he began a half-length back. Perhaps it was the wet track over which he could not close to pass the winner or runner-up. Since coming to Florida at the end of December, Tiz the Law has worked well for his return including a sharp half-mile drill six days ago which was the best of 41 on the day, so if nothing else the colt is fit and ready to run his best.
The rest of the Holy Bull field, with their best Equibase figures, are Clear Destination (93), Ete Indien (101), Toledo (97), and Uncork the Bottle (85).
Win contenders, in preference/probability order:
Mayberry Deputy
Relentless Dancer
Tiz the Law
Superfecta
3-4-1-6
3-4-1-6
$5
Super High Five
3-4-1-6-7
3-4-1-6-7
$102
Superfecta
3-4-1-6
3-4-1-6
$5
Super High Five
3-4-1-6-7
3-4-1-6-7
$102
