Nice article on the Holy Bull Stakes
DiscreetCat
Moderator
from Bloodhorse:
Its still January and this is only step one on the road to the Florida Derby (gr. I), but Gulfstream Park will host an important showdown between several of the most talented 3-year-olds in Southern Florida Jan. 23 when a field of nine square off in the $150,000 Holy Bull Stakes (gr. III).
Most eyes will be on a trio of highly-regarded sophomores in the one-mile Holy Bullprobable morning-line favorite Jackson Bend, grade I winner Homeboykris, and multiple graded stakes-placed Aikenite. But also not to be forgotten are Piscitelli, who finished fourth by less than a length in the Grey Goose Breeders Cup Juvenile (gr. I) and Winslow Homer, a romping 12-length allowance winner in November. Post time for the Holy Bull is 5:08 p.m. EST.
A son of Hear No Evil Sexy Stockings, by Tobasco Cat, Jackson Bend won five of six starts as a juvenileall of them at Calder. The chestnut colt swept the Florida Stallion Series, culminating with his 2 3/4-length score in the In Reality Stakes last Oct. 17. It was his first start around two turns.
Bred by Jacks or Better Farm, he won those five starts for trainer Stanley Gold, but after Robert LaPenta purchased a majority interest in the horse in late October he was transferred to the barn of Nick Zito. Jackson Bend has been working steadily at Palm Meadows this winter, his last one coming Jan. 16 when he turned in a bullet five-furlong move in :59.30.
Jackson Bend likes to race close to the pace, which could force his new rider, Jeremy Rose, to get him going early since they will break from post 9. Jeffrey Sanchez rode Jackson Bend in his first six starts.
Carrying top weight of 122 pounds will be Homeboykris, winner of the Champagne Stakes (gr. I) at Belmont in October. The gelding by Roman Ruler , who is trained by Rick Dutrow Jr., finished fifth in the Remsen (gr. II) in his final start of 2009.
Bred in Maryland by Dark Hollow Farm and William Paca Beatson, Homeboykris was purchased privately by a group led by Louis Lazzinnaro after he broke his maiden by more than 3 1/4 lengths at Calder last July. Edgar Prado keeps the mount.
Dodwood Stables Aikenite is one of several promising colts from the barn of Todd Pletcher. The dark bay son of Yes It's True finished third in the Three Chimneys Hopeful (gr. I) in his first stakes try, then missed by just a half-length when running second in the Dixiana Breeders Futurity (gr. I) at Keeneland Oct. 10. The following month he ran a troubled fifth in the Breeders Cup Juvenile.
Bred in Florida by Brylynn Farm, Aikenite turned in a solid final work Jan. 17 at Palm Meadows, getting five furlongs in a bullet :59.80. John Velazquez will have the mount for the first time since the colt broke his maiden at Saratoga in August.
William Schettines Piscitelli has made his last three starts over artificial surfaces, including that solid effort in the Breeders Cup when he set the pace under Kent Desormeaux and gave way stubbornly down the stretch at odds of 50-1. Before that, the Victory Gallop colt was fifth in the Breeders Futurity and third in the Arlington-Washington Futurity (gr. II) on Polytrack.
Bred in Kentucky by Jerry and Ann Moss, Piscitelli broke his maiden last summer on the dirt at Monmouth Park. He has also been breezing very well at Palm Meadows for trainer Rick Sacco. Desormeaux keeps the mount.
Fox Hill Farms Winslow Homer annihilated a field of winners at muddy Philadelphia Park Nov. 20, taking over after a half-mile and rolling to a 12 1/2-length score under Mario Pino in the one-mile contest. It was his second win in three starts. Ramon Dominguez, who guided the Unbridled's Song colt to victory in his maiden win at Saratoga last summer, will jump back aboard for the Holy Bull. Trainer Tony Dutrow worked his charge four furlongs in :50.30 at Palm Meadows Jan. 18.
Also in the mix is Marty Wolfson trainee Thank U Phillipe, who finished runner-up to some solid horses in his last three starts. The Proud Accolade colt was second to Jackson Bend in the In Reality, 12 lengths back of Buddys Saint in the Nashua (gr. II), and missed by 1 1/4 lengths to Eskendereya in allowance company Jan. 7 at Gulfstream. Eddie Castro will be in the irons.
Completing the field are William's Kitten, Wild Lime, and Litigation Risk.
Its still January and this is only step one on the road to the Florida Derby (gr. I), but Gulfstream Park will host an important showdown between several of the most talented 3-year-olds in Southern Florida Jan. 23 when a field of nine square off in the $150,000 Holy Bull Stakes (gr. III).
Most eyes will be on a trio of highly-regarded sophomores in the one-mile Holy Bullprobable morning-line favorite Jackson Bend, grade I winner Homeboykris, and multiple graded stakes-placed Aikenite. But also not to be forgotten are Piscitelli, who finished fourth by less than a length in the Grey Goose Breeders Cup Juvenile (gr. I) and Winslow Homer, a romping 12-length allowance winner in November. Post time for the Holy Bull is 5:08 p.m. EST.
A son of Hear No Evil Sexy Stockings, by Tobasco Cat, Jackson Bend won five of six starts as a juvenileall of them at Calder. The chestnut colt swept the Florida Stallion Series, culminating with his 2 3/4-length score in the In Reality Stakes last Oct. 17. It was his first start around two turns.
Bred by Jacks or Better Farm, he won those five starts for trainer Stanley Gold, but after Robert LaPenta purchased a majority interest in the horse in late October he was transferred to the barn of Nick Zito. Jackson Bend has been working steadily at Palm Meadows this winter, his last one coming Jan. 16 when he turned in a bullet five-furlong move in :59.30.
Jackson Bend likes to race close to the pace, which could force his new rider, Jeremy Rose, to get him going early since they will break from post 9. Jeffrey Sanchez rode Jackson Bend in his first six starts.
Carrying top weight of 122 pounds will be Homeboykris, winner of the Champagne Stakes (gr. I) at Belmont in October. The gelding by Roman Ruler , who is trained by Rick Dutrow Jr., finished fifth in the Remsen (gr. II) in his final start of 2009.
Bred in Maryland by Dark Hollow Farm and William Paca Beatson, Homeboykris was purchased privately by a group led by Louis Lazzinnaro after he broke his maiden by more than 3 1/4 lengths at Calder last July. Edgar Prado keeps the mount.
Dodwood Stables Aikenite is one of several promising colts from the barn of Todd Pletcher. The dark bay son of Yes It's True finished third in the Three Chimneys Hopeful (gr. I) in his first stakes try, then missed by just a half-length when running second in the Dixiana Breeders Futurity (gr. I) at Keeneland Oct. 10. The following month he ran a troubled fifth in the Breeders Cup Juvenile.
Bred in Florida by Brylynn Farm, Aikenite turned in a solid final work Jan. 17 at Palm Meadows, getting five furlongs in a bullet :59.80. John Velazquez will have the mount for the first time since the colt broke his maiden at Saratoga in August.
William Schettines Piscitelli has made his last three starts over artificial surfaces, including that solid effort in the Breeders Cup when he set the pace under Kent Desormeaux and gave way stubbornly down the stretch at odds of 50-1. Before that, the Victory Gallop colt was fifth in the Breeders Futurity and third in the Arlington-Washington Futurity (gr. II) on Polytrack.
Bred in Kentucky by Jerry and Ann Moss, Piscitelli broke his maiden last summer on the dirt at Monmouth Park. He has also been breezing very well at Palm Meadows for trainer Rick Sacco. Desormeaux keeps the mount.
Fox Hill Farms Winslow Homer annihilated a field of winners at muddy Philadelphia Park Nov. 20, taking over after a half-mile and rolling to a 12 1/2-length score under Mario Pino in the one-mile contest. It was his second win in three starts. Ramon Dominguez, who guided the Unbridled's Song colt to victory in his maiden win at Saratoga last summer, will jump back aboard for the Holy Bull. Trainer Tony Dutrow worked his charge four furlongs in :50.30 at Palm Meadows Jan. 18.
Also in the mix is Marty Wolfson trainee Thank U Phillipe, who finished runner-up to some solid horses in his last three starts. The Proud Accolade colt was second to Jackson Bend in the In Reality, 12 lengths back of Buddys Saint in the Nashua (gr. II), and missed by 1 1/4 lengths to Eskendereya in allowance company Jan. 7 at Gulfstream. Eddie Castro will be in the irons.
Completing the field are William's Kitten, Wild Lime, and Litigation Risk.
Comments
The more I think about it, the more I believe we might actually get 5-1 or so on Winslow Homer. Jackson Bend, Homeboykris and Aikenite are all likely to take a ton of money. He very well may go off as the 4th choice of an evenly matched field.
I do disagree, however, that Jackson Bend will go off favored.
fb
As for Winslow Homer, he sure seems to be overlooked in these article i've been reading, but i can't help but wonder how high he can possible be coming off a 12-length win. I mean, that kind of jumps off the page at you when you're reading the Racing Form. But at least it came @ Philly Park, in the mud no less. No doubt a certian number of people will discount him.
Btw, his recent workout partner Song of Solomon ran second today.
DC, who do you like in the LeComte stakes saturday? FB? What about you?
Also, FB, any word on Fresian Fire? I know you gave us a heads up that he wasn't ready last start, is he sitting on go?
He was actually who I liked, and judging from the form, I'm worried he's going to be bet heavily. I know he's 4-1 on the ML, but I won't be surprised if he goes off at 5/2 or less.