Kentucky Derby Trail: Holy Bull and Withers Stakes on Saturday

Three months to the 148th Kentucky Derby (G1) and Saturday, February 5 will feature two solid stepping stone stakes races in Florida and New York. On Sunday, a small field of five goes to post for the Robert Lewis Stakes at Santa Anita with Canadian-bred MESSIER the odds-on choice for the Grade 3 race at 1 1/16 miles. Messier was bred by Sam-Son Farms and is by Empire Maker – Checkered Past by Smart Strike. The colt won the Grade 3 Bob Hope takes at seven furlongs and was recently second in the Los Alamitos Futurity (G2) on Dec. 11 at 1 1/16 miles.

Another Canadian (Ontario)-bred 3-year-old colt, GOD OF LOVE (Cupid-No Wonder, by Three Wonders) was expected to contest the WITHERS STAKES (G3) on Saturday at Aqueduct but trainer Mark Casse has kept the chestnut colt in Florida and will send him to Tampa Bay Downs for the Sam F. Davis Stakes on Feb. 12.

The Withers is at 1 1/8 miles on the dirt and Aqueduct, like many northeastern tracks, has been ducking and diving tough winter storms and plenty of snow. The field of 11 (race eight with a 4:25 pm. post time) is not a stellar group at this point – just one colt has posted a Beyer Figure higher than 78 – but these are developing horses.

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Here is a look at the WITHERS STAKES field:

(10-4-2-1 Kentucky Derby points to the top-four finishers)

Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Famer JOHN SIKURA JR. is a co-breeder and owner of COURVOISIER, who will look to build on a 10-point triumph last out in the Jerome on New Year’s Day at Aqueduct. The regally-bred son of Tapit, out of 2014 Champion 2-Year-Old Filly Take Charge Brandi, secured outside stalking position in the one-turn mile Jerome and matched strides with pacesetter Hagler around the far turn before pulling away to a 1 1/4-length triumph over the sloppy and sealed main track.

Courvoisier, currently 12th on the Kentucky Derby leaderboard, boasts a winning experience at the Withers distance having graduated at 14-1 odds on December 2 in his first start at the Big A.

Ruben Silvera will pilot Courvoisier for the first time, breaking from post 5.

Looking to contest Courvoisier once more are Jerome second, third, fourth and sixth-place finishers Smarten Up, Cooke Creek, Unbridled Bomber and Mr Jefferson.

Trained by Alfredo Velazquez, the consistent Smarten Up was twice placed at maiden level before a nine-length romp on November 22 at Parx Racing. The son of American Freedom made his first venture away from Parx in the Jerome, launching a late turn-of-foot to finish second at 21-1 odds.

Smarten Up will be ridden by returning pilot Anthony Salgado from post 3.

Cheyenne Stable’s Cooke Creek, a son of Uncle Mo trained by Jeremiah O’Dwyer, was in pursuit from the four path in upper stretch in the Jerome, but was passed up by Smarten Up’s late kick, finishing two lengths behind Courvoisier.

Cooke Creek graduated at first asking in September, sprinting 5 1/2-furlongs at Delaware Park. He is the only horse in the field with a stakes win at two turns, having captured the one-mile Rocky Run on October 16 at Delaware Park, three weeks before finishing second in the Grade 3 Nashua traveling a one-turn mile at Belmont Park.

Cooke Creek will break from post 11 under Manny Franco, a two-time Withers winner.

Unbridled Bomber, owned in partnership by Edward Potash, Brad Yankanich and trainer Jimmy Ryerson, finished fourth at second asking when traveling nine furlongs around two turns in August at Saratoga. He graduated two starts later traveling a one-turn mile on November 7 at Belmont.

Ryerson said he is looking forward to getting the dark bay Upstart colt back to two turns.

Jorge Vargas, Jr. will have the call from post 6.

R. L. Johnson’s Mr Jefferson will make his third straight appearance at the Big A for trainer Michael Trombetta. The Maryland-bred Constitution chestnut finished a distant fourth in the nine-furlong Grade 2 Remsen on December 4 ahead of his sixth-place finish in the Jerome.

A two-time winner, Mr Jefferson broke his maiden going six furlongs at Colonial Downs in August two starts before defeating winners in November at Laurel Park. Eric Cancel has the call from post 10.

Among the fresh faces is Klaravich Stables’ Early Voting, who will see added ground following a triumphant career debut going a one-turn mile on December 18 at Aqueduct. Early Voting was forwardly placed from the outside down the backstretch and opened up in the stretch before fending off a late rally by Matt Doyle to win by 1 1/2 lengths as the heavy favorite.

A son of 2021 leading freshman sire Gun Runner, Early Voting will attempt to give trainer Chad Brown his second straight Withers win, a feat that has not been accomplished since the late Hall of Famer Allen Jerkens saddled Spite the Devil [2003] and Medallist [2004]. Brown captured last year’s Withers with Risk Taking, who also is owned by Klaravich Stables.

Purchased for $200,000 at the 2020 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, Early Voting is out of the unraced Tiznow mare Amour d’Ete – a half-sister to 2004 Champion Sprinter and influential stallion Speightstown.

Jose Ortiz will ride Early Voting from post 9.

Constitutionlawyer will make his stakes debut following a nine-furlong maiden win on January 2 at Aqueduct. The Ray Handal-trained Constitution colt displayed frontrunning tactics for the first time in his maiden victory, which took place over a muddy and sealed track. Constitutionlawyer built on his advantage through every point of call to win by 3 1/2 lengths and registered a field-best 85 Beyer Speed Figure. Jose Lezcano will ride Constitutionlawyer from post 1.

Hall of Famer Bill Mott will send out Grandview Equine and Don Alberto Stable’s Gilded Age, who returns off a three-month respite following a two-turn maiden score on November 19 at Churchill Downs. Gilded Age, who attempts to give his influential sire Medaglia d’Oro a second straight Withers winner, will break from post 4 under Kendrick Carmouche.

Completing the field are Turfway Park maiden winner Grantham [post 2, Victor Carrasco], two-time Parx winner Noneedtoworry [post 7, Silvestre Gonzalez], and Un Ojo [post 8, Trevor McCarthy] – a narrow second in the NYSSS Great White Way.

HOLY BULL STAKES (G3) at Gulfstream

Race 11, 5:10 p.m. post time

A field of nine features a much stronger group of colts, at this point, than the Withers.

Donegal Racing’s Mo Donegal (Uncle Mo-Callingmissbrown by Pulpit) is poised to make his 2022 debut in the $250,000 Holy Bull and his Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher has opted for no soft spot for the son of Uncle Mo’s highly anticipated return to action.

The 33rd running of the Holy Bull, the first graded-stakes on the Road to the Florida Derby (G1), headlines a 12-race program that will also feature the $100,000 Claiborne Swale (G3), $100,000 Forward Gal (G3), $100,000 Kitten’s Joy (G3) and $100,000 Sweetest Chant (G3).

Although Mo Donegal, 3-1 on the morning line, will be put to the test in a field that includes two Grade 1 stakes-placed opponents, the Pletcher-trained colt has already passed the most rigorous test for all Triple Crown prospects – the two-turn test over 1 1/8-miles. The $250,000 purchase at the 2020 Keeneland September yearling sale enters the Holy Bull off a gutsy triumph in the 1 1/8-mile Remsen Stakes (G2) at Aqueduct Dec. 4.

Mo Donegal has a familiar Canadian female family. His fourth dam is SAVETHELASTDANCE (Nureyev), the dam of 2004 Queen’s Plate winner NIIGON. Savethelastdance is a daughter of BON DEBARRAS, the dam of Canadian champion ETERNAL SEARCH.

“We were pretty focused on the Remsen right after he broke his maiden. We locked in on that and after the race I got with [Donegal Racing’s] Jerry Crawford, and we talked about how we could go about getting on the Derby trail. We decided that the Holy Bull was the right starting point,” said Pletcher, who saddled Audible (2019) and Algorithms (2012) for Holy Bull victors. “It gives us plenty of options. If he were to run well, we still have the (March 4) Fountain of Youth to come back in if we wanted to or we could train up to the Florida Derby like we did with Audible. We kind of felt like it put us in a position to have the most options.”

Mo Donegal finished third in his Sept. 30 debut at Belmont, in which he broke slowly and was subsequently steadied in traffic. He came right back to graduate at 1 1/16-miles despite breaking a step slowly a month later. In the Remsen, Mo Donegal encountered bumping at the start, moved to the lead heading into the stretch, and battled with Zandon to the wire to eke out a triumph by a nose.

Irad Ortiz Jr. has the return mount aboard Mo Donegal, whose opponents will include Kenny McPeek-trained Tiz the Bomb, runner-up in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1) at Del Mar, and Dale Romans-trained Giant Game, third-place finisher in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1.

Phoenix Thoroughbreds LTD’s Tiz the Bomb rode a three-race winning streak into the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf that started with a dazzling front-running maiden score by 14 ½ lengths in an off-the-turf second-out maiden race at Ellis Park July 2. The son of 2016 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile turf winner Hit It a Bomb went on to capture the Kentucky Downs Juvenile Mile and the Bourbon (G2) at Keeneland from off the pace on turf.

Tiz the Bomb dropped back to 12th while in traffic in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf before rallying strongly to finish second behind Modern Games.

Regular rider Brian Hernandez Jr. is scheduled to travel from Fair Grounds for the Holy Bull.

Albaugh Family Stables LLC and West Point Thoroughbreds’ Giant Game made a four-wide move into contention in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile before settling for third in his stakes debut. The son of Giants Causeway, who will be ridden by Luis Saez for the first time Saturday, had previously finished third in the debut before graduating by three lengths at Keeneland in his two-turn debut.

C2 Racing Stable LLC and La Milagrosa Stable LLC’s White Abarrio enters the Holy Bull off a third-place finish behind McPeek-trained Smile Happy and Brian Lynch-trained Classic Causeway in the Nov. 27 Kentucky Jockey Club (G2) at Churchill Downs.

White Abarrio was purchased privately after romping to a 6 ¾-length victory in his Sept. 24 debut at Gulfstream, where the son of Race Day came right back to score a five-length optional claiming allowance victory over Strike Hard, who went on to finish second in the Jan. 1 Mucho Macho Man at Gulfstream.

Tyler Gaffalione is scheduled to ride White Abarrio for the first time in the Holy Bull.

Tami Bobo’s Simplification, who won the Mucho Macho Man by four lengths in front-running style, is expected to set or attend the early pace while stretching out around two turns for the first time.

“The longer the race, the better is it for my horse,” trainer Antonio Sano said.

The long-striding son of Not This Time broke his maiden at Gulfstream by 16 ¾ lengths at six furlongs in his second career start. He came back to finish a troubled third again at six-furlongs before impressively stretching out to a mile in the Mucho Macho Man.

Hall of Famer Javier Castellano has the call on Simplification.

OXO Equine LLC’s Galt, who broke his maiden by three lengths while trying two turns for the first time at Gulfstream, Cash is King LLC and LC Racing LLC’s Eloquist, who finished fifth in the Remsen; Stonehedge LLC’s Cajun’s Magic, a strong force in the Florida Sire Stakes series last year; and BBN Racing LLC’s Spin Wheel, a maiden winner at Churchill Downs last time out; are also entered in the Holy Bull.

1-Galt-Alvarado-Mott 15-1

2-Mo Donegal-I. Ortiz-Pletcher 5-2

3-Eloquist-Pennington-Reid 20-1

4-Simplefication-Castellano-Sano 4-1

5-Cajun’s Magic-Rios-Yates 8-1

6-Tiz the Bomb-Hernandez-McPeek 6-1

7-Spin Wheel-Leparoux-Arnold 20-1

8-White Abarrio-Gaffalione-Joseph 6-1

9-Giant Game-Saez-Romans 7-2