Gulfstream Park kicks off its always influential prep series for the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve Saturday with the 37^th running of the Holy Bull Stakes. The 1 1/16-mile stakes for 3-year-olds held on Gulfstream’s dirt track offers a purse of $275,000 and a total of 42 qualifying points for the May 2 Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs, distributed on a 20-10-6-4-2 scale to the top five finishers. The Holy Bull will be followed by the Coolmore Fountain of Youth Stakes on Feb. 26 and the Curlin Florida Derby on March 28 to complete Gulfstream’s Kentucky Derby prep series.

This year’s Holy Bull drew a solid field including graded stakes winner Incredibolt as well as Cannoneer and Nearly, “buzz” horses from the barns of Brad Cox and Todd Pletcher, respectively. The race will be broadcast on FanDuel TV and also be streamed live on NBC’s Peacock platform as part of the 1/ST Racing Tour on NBC. Post time is set for 5:45 p.m. ET.

Read on for information about the Holy Bull contenders plus some gambling insights.

Coady Media

1. Incredibolt

Jockey: Jaime Torres

Trainer: Riley Mott

Owner: Pin Oak Stud

Career record: 3 starts – 2 wins – 0 seconds – 0 thirds

Career earnings: $196,181

Top Equibase Speed Figure: 94

Kentucky Derby points: 10

Pedigree: Bolt d’Oro – Sapphire Spitfire, by Awesome Again

Color: Dark bay or brown

Running style: Stalker/closer

Analysis: Incredibolt is the only starter in this year’s Holy Bull to have already earned Kentucky Derby qualifying points, having done so in his final 2025 start, the Street Sense Stakes Oct. 26 at Churchill Downs. He rallied strongly in the stretch to win the 1 1/16-mile Street Sense by 1 ¾ lengths, worth 10 Derby points, and that followed a similarly impressive two-length score in a one-turn mile maiden race at Churchill in late September. Since that victory, this Bolt d’Oro colt has been flying somewhat under the radar compared with other Kentucky Derby prospects that have won more recent stakes races. He’s been training steadily in south Florida for Riley Mott, and could become the first viable Derby contender for Mott, whose father, Bill, has won two editions of the Derby, including last year’s race with Sovereignty. If he continues the development shown in his final two starts at age 2 in his 3-year-old bow, Incredibolt will be a major player in the Holy Bull. 

Lauren King/Coglianese Photo

2. Roger That Dana

Jockey: Renzo Rojas

Trainer: Luis Ramirez

Owner: Smith Ranch Stables

Career record: 3 starts – 1 win – 1 second – 1 third

Career earnings: $103,200

Top Equibase Speed Figure: 82

Kentucky Derby points: 0

Pedigree: Awesome Slew – Take Me to Zuber, by Toccet

Color: Bay

Running style: Press the pace/stalker

Analysis: Local contender Roger That Dana won his career debut in a six-furlong Gulfstream Park sprint back in October and since then has finished third by 10 ¼ lengths in a 1 1/16-mile Gulfstream stakes for Florida-breds and second by 6 ¾ lengths to Commandment in the Jan. 3, one-mile Mucho Macho Man Stakes at this track. His two margins of defeat in stakes races do not bode well for Roger That Dana’s win chances taking a step up in class Saturday; on the other hand, this is Roger That Dana’s home base and the best opportunity for his connections to see if he’s got enough talent to jump on the Kentucky Derby trail. Look for him to be part of the early pace as his maiden win sprinting came when leading from start to finish.

Project Ace (inside) wins at Churchill. (Coady Media)

3. Project Ace

Jockey: Corey Lanerie

Trainer: Dale Romans

Owner: Albaugh Family Stables

Career record: 3 starts – 1 win – 1 second – 1 third

Career earnings: $77,245

Top Equibase Speed Figure: 83

Kentucky Derby points: 0

Pedigree: War of Will – Plenty O’Toole, by Tiznow

Color: Bay

Running style: Closer

Analysis: This colt makes his stakes debut after showing improvement in each of his three starts in Kentucky for trainer and U.S. Senate candidate Dale Romans. Project Ace finished a distant third in his debut sprinting six furlongs at Churchill Downs, but then just missed when stretching out to 1 1/16 miles at Keeneland in October, closing fast along the rail and losing by a nose. He made his next start at Churchill Downs on Nov. 15, and rallied from last along the inside again to win the 1 1/16-mile race by a head. Project Ace, who has been training in Florida over the past several weeks, and profiles as a stone-cold closer who will need a fast pace and a trouble-free trip to set up his kick. Finishing in the top-three with another late run is not out of the question, but he’s a longshot to win.

Coglianese Photos/Gulfstream Park

4. Global Aviator

Jockey: Joe Bravo

Trainer: Rohan Crichton

Owner: Special Aviators (Rohan Crichton)

Career record: 1 start – 1 win – 0 seconds – 0 thirds

Career earnings: $24,000

Top Equibase Speed Figure: 80

Kentucky Derby points: 0

Pedigree: Global Campaign – Frisco Girl, by Quality Road

Color: Dark bay or brown

Running style: Stalker

Analysis: Owner-trainer Rohan Crichton is ambitiously entering this colt in the Holy Bull Stakes off of a single start – a neck win in a six-furlong maiden race held at Gulfstream on Nov. 29. Global Aviator got away to a slow start in that race and trailed the field early before rallying into contention with an eye-catching move in the turn, taking the lead on the stretch, and holding on by a neck over an odds-on favorite. The Global Campaign colt has a pedigree that indicates he’s best suited to sprint and one-mile races, and it will be interesting to see how veteran jockey Joe Bravo (who was aboard in the debut win) rides him as he returns off of a two-month break and stretches out around two turns. He’s a longshot who will have to improve significantly to score a Holy Bull upset.

Coady Media

5. Cannoneer

Jockey: Irad Ortiz Jr.

Trainer: Brad Cox

Owners: St. Elias Stable and Stonestreet Stables

Career record: 2 starts – 1 win – 0 seconds – 1 third

Career earnings: $81,300

Top Equibase Speed Figure: 99

Kentucky Derby points: 0

Pedigree: Into Mischief – Catch the Moon, by Malibu Moon

Color: Bay

Running style: Pacesetter

Analysis: Cannoneer sits high in Kentucky Derby future books and on many analysts’ contender lists despite having not run in a stakes or even in a two-turn race, and he has a good chance to be the post-time favorite in the Holy Bull. Expectations have been high for this son of leading sire Into Mischief for more than a year: he was a $1.75 million purchase as a yearling and was a heavy favorite in his debut last summer at Churchill Downs. Cannoneer broke slowly and tired after dueling for the early lead in that race, a 5 ½-furlong dash, and he did not make his second start until the end of Churchill’s November meet. In that race, though, he turned every head at the track and watching on all devices with an explosive 7 ¼-length romp in a seven-furlong race. He’s bred to easily handle route races as a half-brother to Preakness Stakes runner-up Midnight Bourbon and Haskell Invitational Stakes and Louisiana Derby winner Girvin, and jockey Irad Ortiz Jr., who was aboard in November, keeps the mount for the Holy Bull. Cannoneer controlled the pace in his breakout win, and Ortiz Jr. figures to employ the same strategy on Gulfstream’s speed-favoring track. Come 6 p.m. ET Saturday, we’ll see if the hype around this colt is justified.

6. Buetane (WITHDRAWN)

Jockey: Joel Rosario

Trainer: Bob Baffert

Owner: Zedan Racing Stables

Career record: 3 starts – 1 win – 2 seconds – 0 thirds

Career earnings: $148,000

Top Equibase Speed Figure: 96

Kentucky Derby points: 0

Pedigree: Tiz the Law – Taboo, by Forestry

Color: Chestnut

Running style: Stalker

Analysis: Buetane is cross-entered in another Kentucky Derby prep scheduled for Saturday, the Southwest Stakes at Oaklawn Park, and a report from Horse Racing Nation on Jan. 26 stated that the California-based colt, who has finished second in two graded stakes through three starts, would not ship to Gulfstream Park for the Holy Bull after his flight was canceled.

Ryan Thompson/Coglianese Photos

7. Nearly

Jockey: John Velazquez

Trainer: Todd Pletcher

Owner: Centennial Farms

Career record: 3 starts – 2 wins – 0 seconds – 0 thirds

Career earnings: $78,950

Top Equibase Speed Figure: 92

Kentucky Derby points: 0

Pedigree: Not This Time – Ib Prospecting, by Mineshaft

Color: Dark bay or brown

Running style: Stalker

Analysis: Nearly hasn’t quite received the attention from Kentucky Derby analysts as has Cannoneer, but buzz is building quickly about this colt and he has a chance to shake up the contender rankings big-time Saturday. The Florida-bred colt by red-hot stallion Not This Time finished a distant sixth in New York back in his October debut, but he improved by leaps and bounds once sent to Gulfstream Park in November, romping by 9 ¼ lengths in a six-furlong sprint against fellow state-breds and then taking a seven-furlong allowance race by five lengths. Nearly was bumped hard at the start of that allowance race on Jan. 2, yet recovered and won going away under John Velazquez. That Hall of Fame rider will ride Nearly Saturday and should have him positioned within striking distance of probable pacesetter Cannoneer. He has the home-track advantage over that rival and plenty of room to improve his ascending speed figures in career start number four. 

Adam Coglianese/NYRA

8. Bravaro

Jockey: Tyler Gaffalione

Trainer: Saffie Joseph Jr.

Owners: Albert Ciuffetelli, Stephanie Brennan, Shining Stables, BAG Racing Stables, and Paul Braverman

Career record: 2 starts – 2 wins – 0 seconds – 0 thirds

Career earnings: $154,000

Top Equibase Speed Figure: 90

Kentucky Derby points: 0

Pedigree: Upstart – Opera Star, by Tamarkuz

Color: Bay

Running style: Stalker

Analysis: This New York-bred profiles as an intriguing longshot in the Holy Bull as he enters the race undefeated in two starts. Both of those occurred last fall at the Belmont at Big A (Aqueduct) meet, where Bravaro won a six-furlong sprint by a length and then impressed in the one-mile Sleepy Hollow Stakes, driving clear to a 2 ½-length victory. Those wins came against New York-breds, so he’ll be taking a step up in class Saturday. On the other hand, he’s trained by locally based Saffie Joseph Jr. and has been working steadily for Joseph at nearby Palm Meadows Training Center. Tyler Gaffalione, who won the Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes aboard Skippylongstocking for Joseph at Gulfstream Jan. 24, should have Bravaro sitting in midpack among the Holy Bull field and in good position to make a bid for the lead on the far turn. Even if he suffers a first career defeat, this runner has a chance to finish well enough to earn some Kentucky Derby points and target more valuable prep races in the weeks ahead.

Adam Coglianese/NYRA

9. Game for It (SCRATCHED)

Jockey: Junior Alvarado

Trainer: Chad Summers

Owners: Gold Square, Wynnstay, and Chad Summers

Career record: 1 start – 1 win – 0 seconds – 0 thirds

Career earnings: $38,500

Top Equibase Speed Figure: 71

Kentucky Derby points: 0

Pedigree: Known Agenda – Manahatta, by Old Fashioned

Color: Chestnut

Running style: Press the pace/stalker

Analysis: Like Bravaro, Game for It is a New York shipper, and he’s also coming into the Holy Bull Stakes alongside Global Aviator with one career start to his credit. Game for It’s race came Dec. 10 at Aqueduct and it was an impressive debut, as he overcame a stumble at the start to rally and win a six-furlong sprint by a half-length as the odds-on favorite. This colt by 2021 Florida Derby winner Known Agenda has been working in Florida in recent weeks for trainer and co-owner Chad Summers and he has the pedigree to handle 1 1/16 miles. Still, making the jump from a maiden race to a stakes race on the Kentucky Derby trail is daunting to say the least. Game for It will need to improve his debut speed figure by about 25 points to have a shot at the upset. UPDATE: David Grening of Daily Racing Form reported Jan. 26 that Chad Summers said Game for It would most likely be withdrawn from the Holy Bull Stakes and target another Kentucky Derby prep.

New to racing? Let us explain…

A maiden race is a race restricted to horses that have not won before. There are two main types of maiden races. The first, maiden special weight races, usually draw horses that are more valuable to their owners and have higher purses. Maiden claiming races are for non-winners that are offered for sale, and can be bought or “claimed” by new owners who secure possession before the race is run.