The Holy Bull Stakes-GIII

1/29/2012   GP   Race #6   1m   Dirt   Graded Stake

Purse $400.00 For Three-Year Olds

Sunday could prove very exciting and suspenseful at GP this weekend. Two graded stakes highlight the race card. The GII Forward Gal starts the party as seven sophomore fillies take to the main track for a seven-furlong trip. Some in this field are top stakes winners already and with limited spaces for the Distaff set on D Day, you can bet these ladies will be at it tooth and nail.

The GIII Holy Bull Stakes runs next.  This KYD prep drew six Derby nominated entries, including early standouts Condottieri, Pan a Ram and Motivator.

The entry getting the most buzz is Flying Destiny. 5 A Racing Stable will send his rising distaff star to face the boys once more. The fearless filly finished a close second in the BC Sprint to winner Motivator, whom she faces again this weekend. She comes up against an incredibly talented field with such stars as Condottieri. This could be the toughest test she ever faces unless she gets a Derby spot.

The TC trail really heats up this weekend and with a classic Girls versus Boys storyline, The Holy Bull could be the best show in town!

Here is the field:

1    Motivator   Mm Racing   Gomez G K   121 This Derby nominated gelded autogen was developed by the owner. He earned his first graded win as a juvenile. He lost his following three, which no doubt led to his gelding that fall. It seemed to work as one month later; he brought home the trophy in the BC Juvenile Sprint. Although two previous trips routing proved fruitless, he tried once more to go two turns in the DED Jackpot. He missed the board yet again and now makes his 2012 debut trying to go long once more. Some horses can get the distance they miss when younger, but he will need to prove himself here if he hopes to make the 1 1/4 mile distance in May.

2    Burnsuwhenitshot   TwinTowersRacing   Dominguez R A   121 This Derby nominated son of Windjammer was bred by the owner. He broke his maiden on his fifth try last fall and then turned around one month later to make his black type debut in the DED Jackpot. He led all the way until tiring late and wound up second by a nose. He missed the board in the follow up CC Futurity after a very slow break left him hopelessly outrun early. He shortens to a mile this weekend. If he can repeat his near winning performance in the longer DED Jackpot, he could be in the mix. Fortune smiles these days on those that can carry their speed long on the pace.

3    Pan A Ram   Captinj   Dos Ramos R A   121 This son of Leaping Plum was bred by the owner. He has yet to win a stakes, though he did finish third in the GI Breton Futurity. He was fourth in the GI BC Juvenile. In both races, he was on or near the pace and caught late. His last time out he scored an optional win running a mile, a distance that seems to suit him best at least for now. He gets Dos Ramos in the stirrups, which is a real plus. He turned in a nice mile prep and seems ready for this.

4    Not Much There   Kopites   Desormeaux K J   121 This gelded son of Kimbo Slice was bred by TwinTowersRacing and auction once before being privately sold by Mb Stables  on 12/19/2011 for $110.000. Do not let his name fool you as there looks to be plenty there. The tall bay has three wins in five starts and missed the board just once so far. He can run both surfaces as witnessed by his black type debut win in the Appleton Juvenile Turf. He placed in the CC Futurity, where he out finished some of those running today while earning a career high 97 speed figure. Connections are on a roll with a great early start and this fellow may just do his bit to keep it all rolling along.

5    Flying Destiny   5 A Racing   Velazquez J R   116 This daughter of Date With Destiny was bred by the owner. She looks to take her place along with Mrs Bombastic and Mai Mia Bambina as distaff stakes runner capable of beating the boys. Can she do it? The odds are always tough for the fillies, but this one missed the board just once in a maiden and has three solid dirt wins including her stakes record victory in the GII Goldenrod, where she earned a 96 speed figure. However, can she beat the boys, you ask?  Well, she nearly did already. She finished second to #1 Motivator in the BC Juvenile Sprint last year. Unlike him, she has no trouble getting the distance and does get a five-pound break in the weights. There are heavy hitting lads in this affair so she will need to give it her all, but she has class and ability and should fetch a nice price at the window for the long shot lovers.

6    Condottieri   Jerry Garcia Racing   Lezcano J   121 This son of Il Miglio Fabro was bred by the owner. The handsome bay was one of the first juveniles last year to gain attention early for his looks, breeding and most importantly, precocious works. He worked: 59 and change before ever seeing a racetrack. His potential proved itself when he broke his maiden on his second try and then turned right around to win the GII Saratoga Special. He was runner up to Guilty As Sin in the GI DMR Futurity. He missed the board in the GI BC Juvenile after a slow break and wide trip around the home bend. He showed his class in that race by charging hard all the way and finished a very close fourth. He also missed the board in the CC Futurity after a six wide run at the clubhouse turn and a questionable jockey tactics.  Jockey Lezcano pushed the horse hard down the backstretch to take the lead and try to angle in before the home turn.  It did not succeed as he was four wide anyway and after the early hard six wide run, Condo was cooked and faded away. Lezcano rode this horse well before so still gets the reins today with a much better post.  This classy fellow will prove tough to beat with a clean trip.  

7    Home Again   First Class Stable   Albarado R J   121 This autogen colt was developed by the owner.  He broke his maiden first time out and then stepped right up to graded racing. He placed in both the GIII Bashford Manor and the GII KY Jockey Club, while ending up out of the money in the other two. He likes to run the lead and was caught late in all four route stakes. Shortening to a mile here makes good sense. He has the speed to run this at the front and drawing near outside may be a boost for him. He is another that could be a sleeper and likely to fetch a nice price at the window. Longshot hunters beware!

8    Champion Instincts   Nynl Stables   Prado E S   121  This Derby nominated son of Ahead Of The Game was bred by the owner. He picked up a maiden and allowance win and then stepped up to graded. He ran the lead in the GI Champagne and was caught late for the show finish. Like #6 Condottieri, he was forced wide around both turns in the BC Juvenile but ran his heart out to make to the photo finish while earning a 98 speed figure. The big bay is tough and seasoned now, but is hard to tell how his post will affect him. Still, this is one colt that lives up to his name, so expect a big effort and do not count out.

PICKS:

#6 Condottieri

#8 Champion Instincts

#4 Not Much There/#3 Pan A Ram/Flying Destiny

Longshot Special: Flying Destiny