One week after a record-setting Pegasus World Cup day, the focus at Gulfstream Park in south Florida turns to 3-year-olds aiming for the 150^th Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve on May 4.

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The first of three qualifying points prep races at Gulfstream, the Holy Bull Stakes, is set for Saturday, Feb. 3, and the $250,000, Grade 3 race will mark the return of 2023’s recently crowned champion 2-year-old male and winter-book Kentucky Derby favorite, Fierceness.

That colt will make his sophomore debut in the Holy Bull after closing out 2023 with a dominant win in the FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Presented by Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Nov. 3. The Repole Stable homebred headlines an eight-horse field (one horse is suspected to scratch) that also includes four horses exiting the Jan. 1 Mucho Macho Man Stakes at Gulfstream, led by race winner Otello.

The Holy Bull Stakes, named after the 1994 Horse of the Year, was first run in 1972 but was not held consistently until 1994, when it became an annual fixture of Gulfstream’s Championship Meet. The 1 1/16-mile race has been won by such notable horses as Go for Gin (1994), Barbaro (2006), Dialed In (2011), Irish War Cry (2017), Audible (2018), Tiz the Law (2020), and White Abarrio (2022). Both Go for Gin and Barbaro won the Kentucky Derby after taking the Holy Bull.

This year’s renewal offers qualifying points to the Kentucky Derby on a scale of 20-10-6-4-2 to the top five finishers. The race will be televised on FanDuel TV and has a scheduled post time of 5:48 p.m. ET.

Read on for information on each of the Holy Bull contenders.

Ryan Thompson/Coglianese Photo

1. Hades (6-1 morning-line odds)

Jockey: Paco Lopez

Trainer: Joseph Orseno

Owners: D. J. Stable and Robert Cotran

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

Career earnings: $63,100

Earnings per start: $31,550

Top Equibase Speed Figure: 97

Kentucky Derby points: 0

Pedigree: Awesome Slew – The Shady Lady, by Quality Road

Color: Bay

Running style: Press the pace

Notable achievements and interesting facts: This unbeaten Florida-bred projects to be the main pace threat to Fiercness in the Holy Bull. He’s 2-for-2 at Gulfstream, taking a 5 ½-furlong maiden race by a half-length in early December and then romping in a seven-furlong allowance for Florida-breds by eight lengths on Dec. 31. He recovered from a poor start to rally and win his debut but broke fine and contested the early pace in his second race before pulling away. Paco Lopez was aboard for both races and retains the mount in the Holy Bull, and he is known for being aggressive early on with his runners if that fits their style, which in this case it does. The questions, of course, are whether Hades can extend his speed around two turns and if he can do so matched up against Fierceness? Hades’ dam was unraced but is from the family of Grade 1 winners Discreet Cat and Discreetly Mine, both of whom excelled at races in the seven-furlong to one-mile range. A longshot win candidate but a must-use horse in exacta bets.

Bob Coglianese/Gulfstream Park

2. Inveigled (12-1)

Jockey: Irad Ortiz Jr.

Trainer: Jane Cibelli

Owner: Mark Grier

Career record: 5 starts – 2 wins – 1 second – 1 third

Career earnings: $100,500

Earnings per start: $20,100

Top Equibase Speed Figure: 97

Kentucky Derby points: 0

Pedigree: Enticed – Kitty Quality, by Quality Road

Color: Dark bay or brown

Running style: Press the pace/stalker

Notable achievements and interesting facts: Here’s another contender who should be forwardly placed in the Holy Bull and who could keep Fierceness and Hades company, at least for a while. This Indiana-bred gelding began his racing career on the Mid-Atlantic circuit and won his second career start by eight lengths in a 5 ½-furlong sprint at Laurel Park back in October. After finishing second by a neck in a six-furlong stakes at that Maryland track, he relocated to Gulfstream and has run well, taking a one-turn mile allowance-optional claiming race by 4 ¾ lengths over Holy Bull entrant Sea Streak and then finishing fourth and a length and a half behind Otello in the Mucho Macho Man Stakes Dec. 31 at the same distance. His two speed figures posted at Gulfstream are nowhere near what they’ll need to be in order to win the Holy Bull; on the positive side, he retains the services of Gulfstream Park’s leading jockey, Irad Ortiz Jr. The five-time Eclipse Award-winning rider has been aboard for both of Inveigled’s two starts on this track and should have him in good position to give his best effort, which still probably won’t be good enough to pull the upset.

Lauren King/Coglianese Photo

3. Otello (9-2)

Jockey: Luis Saez

Trainer: Christophe Clement

Owners: WinStar Farm and Siena Farm

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

Career earnings: $138,820

Earnings per start: $69,410

Top Equibase Speed Figure: 86

Kentucky Derby points: 0

Pedigree: Curlin – Isabella Sings, by Eskendereya

Color: Chestnut

Running style: Closer

Notable achievements and interesting facts: Although his speed figures through two races are mediocre, Otello might have the best chance of spoiling Fierceness’ return in the Holy Bull and claiming 20 Kentucky Derby points for himself and connections. He’s 2-for-2 coming into Saturday’s race, both wins coming at the one-turn mile configuration. First, he closed from a stalking position to win a maiden race at Aqueduct by a neck, and then on Jan. 1 he split horses in late stretch to get up to win the Mucho Macho Man Stakes by a half-length. In both starts, this son of Hall of Famer Curlin appeared as if he was just getting into top gear in the final furlong, which augurs well for his potential to stretch out in distance around two turns. He’ll have to run much faster to have a chance against Fierceness – assuming the champion has improved during his time away from racing – and Otello will also need a solid early pace to develop. If it does, look for him to be running late under Luis Saez, who was aboard for his win in the Mucho Macho Man. Saez won the 2014 Holy Bull Stakes aboard Cairo Prince.

Adam Coglianese/NYRA

4. Dancing Groom (30-1)

Jockey: Junior Alvarado

Trainer: Antonio Sano

Owner: Alexandres

Career record: 4 starts – 1 win – 0 seconds – 1 third

Career earnings: $122,132

Earnings per start: $30,533

Top Equibase Speed Figure: 89

Kentucky Derby points: 3

Pedigree: Vino Rosso – Snow Dancer, by Bernardini

Color: Chestnut

Running style: Closer

Notable achievements and interesting facts: Dancing Groom will make his third straight start in a Kentucky Derby points race Saturday, and could be a factor if he rebounds from a poor effort in his final 2-year-old start. The son of 2019 Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Vino Rosso turned heads during last year’s Saratoga meet with a five-length romp in a one-mile maiden race that was taken off of the turf, and he then ran respectably in his stakes debut Oct. 7 at the Belmont at Big A (Aqueduct) meet when he made up ground late to finish third in the Champagne Stakes, held at a one-turn mile (odds-on favorite Fierceness finished seventh). In his first start going two turns, however, he was no threat when finishing sixth in the 1 1/16-mile Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes at Churchill Downs on Nov. 25, and he’s been back at trainer Antonio Sano’s Gulfstream Park base preparing for his 3-year-old bow since then. Pedigree-wise, Dancing Groom should have no problem handling 1 1/16 miles (or longer), so it will be interesting to see if he has developed enough in the past two months away from racing to be a factor. Jockey Junior Alvarado has won the Holy Bull twice, aboard Mohaymen in 2016 and Rocket Can last year. He’ll get aboard Dancing Groom for the first time Saturday, and notably, this colt will wear blinkers for the first time as well, which could help him stay more in touch with the field early on in the race.

Ryan Thompson/Coglianese Photo

5. No More Time (SCRATCHED)

Jockey: Jose Ortiz

Trainer: Jose Francisco D’Angelo

Owner: Morplay Racing

Career record: 3 starts – 1 first – 1 second – 0 thirds

Career earnings: $36,780

Earnings per start: $12,260

Top Equibase Speed Figure: 87

Kentucky Derby points: 0

Pedigree: Not This Time – Baroness Juliette, by Speightstown

Color: Dark bay or brown

Running style: Stalker

Notable achievements and interesting facts: No More Time is another locally-based Holy Bull contender who profiles as a longshot exacta filler at best based on current form. He’s an Iowa-bred – unusual for this circuit – who has made all three starts at Gulfstream, finishing second in his debut last September, winning a one-turn mile maiden by 6 ¾ lengths in October, and then checking in fifth by 3 ¾ lengths in the Mucho Macho Man Stakes. He was the second betting choice at 2.10-1 odds in the Mucho Macho Man behind Otello, where he hopped at the start of the one-turn mile race, trailed early, and then fizzled out in the stretch after making a brief bid for contention. If he rebounds in the Holy Bull, look for him to race in third or fourth off of the early leaders and then commence his rally at the quarter-pole under Jose Ortiz, who won this race in 2015 on Upstart and in 2021 on Greatest Honour. Based on pedigree, he should be able to handle the stretch out to two turns and 1 1/16 miles without difficulty. Editor’s note: Trainer Jose D’Angelo told Daily Racing Form’s David Grening that No More Time would be withdrawn from the Holy Bull and run in the Sam F. Davis Stakes Feb. 10 at Tampa Bay Downs – another Kentucky Derby points race – instead.

Adam Coglianese/NYRA

6. Domestic Product (8-1)

Jockey: Tyler Gaffalione

Trainer: Chad Brown

Owner: Klaravich Stables

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

Career earnings: $55,200

Earnings per start: $18,400

Top Equibase Speed Figure: 88

Kentucky Derby points: 0

Pedigree: Practical Joke – Goods and Services, by Paynter

Color: Dark bay or brown

Running style: Stalker

Notable achievements and interesting facts: This colt could be the second betting choice in the Holy Bull at post time behind Fierceness based on his connections – owner-breeder Seth Klarman and trainer Chad Brown have teamed up for many graded stakes wins over the past decade. Domestic Product has also kept good company in his three career starts, competing against the likes of Locked, Dornoch, and Just Steel, each of whom sits within the current top 20 rankings on the Kentucky Derby points leaderboard. The Practical Joke colt improved greatly off of a fifth-place debut finish (won by Just Steel, with Locked third) at Saratoga to score by 4 ½ lengths in a 1 1/8-mile maiden race going two turns at the Belmont at Big A meet back in late October. That set him up for a tough stakes debut in the 1 1/8-mile Remsen Stakes at Aqueduct on Dec. 2, and Domestic Product faded at the top of the stretch to finish seventh of 10 in a race won by Dornoch. He’s kept a routine schedule training for Brown at Payson Park in Florida since then and is certainly eligible to improve in his 3-year-old unveiling. It would not be surprising to see first-time rider Tyler Gaffalione position this colt in midpack through the first half-mile and try to get first run on the leaders. Notably, Domestic Product will race without blinkers in the Holy Bull after wearing them in his previous two races. Gaffalione won the 2022 Holy Bull aboard White Abarrio.

Anne Eberhardt/BloodHorse

7. Fierceness (3-5)

Jockey: John Velazquez

Trainer: Todd Pletcher

Owner: Repole Stable

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

Career earnings: $1,102,750

Earnings per start: $367,583

Top Equibase Speed Figure: 110

Kentucky Derby points: 30

Pedigree: City of Light – Nonna Bella, by Stay Thirsty

Color: Bay

Running style: Press the pace

Notable achievements and interesting facts: The presence of Fierceness in the Holy Bull field commands all of the attention heading into Saturday, and rightly so. The newly honored champion squares off against a rather pedestrian field for his 3-year-old debut, and it would be surprising to see him lose. Of course, every young Thoroughbred develops on his or her own unique timetable – some peak early, others mature gradually, and on occasion the light turns on swiftly for an up-and-coming contender. Having said that, Fierceness’ 6 ½-length win in the Nov. 3 FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Presented by TAA at Santa Anita Park was one of the most impressive races by a horse of any age in 2023, as he rebounded from a puzzling seventh-place effort as the favorite in the Champagne Stakes to defeat the best of his age group convincingly in only his third career start. The City of Light colt earned a 110 Equibase Speed Figure in the BC Juvenile, 13 points higher than the next highest figure earned by a horse in the Holy Bull field (97 by both Hades and Inveigled). Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher usually has his 3-year-olds ready to fire in their season debuts when Derby points are on the line, and fellow Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez gets back aboard Fierceness after riding him for the first time at the Breeders’ Cup. Absent any unforeseen trouble after the starting gate opens, the Holy Bull is Fierceness’ race to lose. Velazquez’s lone win in the Holy Bull came all the way back in 1997 aboard Arthur L. Pletcher has won this race twice, with Algorithms in 2012 and Audible in 2018.

Adam Coglianese/NYRA

8. Sea Streak (20-1)

Jockey: Luca Panici

Trainer: Eddie Owens Jr.

Owner: Holly Crest Farm

Career record: 4 starts – 1 win – 2 seconds – 1 third

Career earnings: $105,770

Earnings per start: $26,443

Top Equibase Speed Figure: 91

Kentucky Derby points: 0

Pedigree: Sea Wizard – High Noon Nellie, by Silver Deputy

Color: Bay

Running style: Press the pace/stalker

Notable achievements and interesting facts: This New Jersey-bred gelding has competed respectably against several Holy Bull foes in his two Gulfstream starts since shipping south, but his two best races from a speed-figure perspective came last fall in his first two career races in New Jersey and New York. Sea Streak made his first start in a six-furlong stakes race at Monmouth Park back in September and finished second, and then moved to the Belmont at the Big A meet and ran off to a 4 ¾-length maiden win at the same distance on Oct. 1. He resurfaced in December at Gulfstream and finished 4 ¾ lengths behind Inveigled in a one-turn mile allowance-optional claiming race, and then improved to just miss in the Mucho Macho Man Stakes Jan. 1 going the same distance. In that race, Sea Streak took a short lead in midstretch but was outfinished by Otello and runner-up First World War in the final strides, losing by three quarters of a length. Sea Streak’s sire, Sea Wizard, by Uncle Mo, only started twice and has not sired a graded stakes winner through three crops. While Sea Streak is related to some good stakes winners on his dam’s side, his pedigree seems best-suited to races one mile or shorter. A deserved longshot.