Our long journey on the road to the Kentucky Derby continues Saturday, with another big prep race taking place at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla., via the $250,000 Grade III Holy Bull Stakes.
After an upset in the Lecomte Stakes two weeks ago at Fair Grounds, we saw the favorite win in last week's Southwest Stakes at Oaklawn Park when Newgrange stormed to the victory. It led to a solid outcome for handicapper Jeremy Pond, who made the winner his best bet in the 1 1/16-mile event. He also connected on the exacta and trifecta in the race as well.
Pond and TVG analyst Andie Biancone have taken a deep look at the Holy Bull field, featuring nine entrants, and deliver their best bets, as well as some exotic wagers — including a Late Pick 4 ticket — to close out the schedule.
Tune in to TVG for full coverage of the Holy Bull Stakes and the entire racing card, which will feature Biancone on-site at Gulfstream Park.
2022 Holy Bull Stakes (Grade III) Odds
*Latest Odds via TVG
| PP | HORSE | ODDS (MORNING LINE) | JOCKEY |
|---|---|---|
| 1 — Galt | 15-1 | Junior Alvarado |
| 2 — Mo Donegal | 5-2 | Irad Ortiz, Jr. |
| 3 — Eloquist | 20-1 | Frankie Pennington |
| 4 — Simplification | 4-1 | Javier Castellano |
| 5 — Cajun's Magic | 8-1 | Jesus Rios |
| 6 — Tiz the Bomb | 6-1 | Brian Hernandez, Jr. |
| 7 — Spin Wheel | 20-1 | Julien Leparoux |
| 8 — White Abarrio | 6-1 | Tyler Gaffalione |
| 9 — Giant Game | 7-2 | Luis Saez |
Race Information
Date | Post Time: Saturday | 5:11 p.m. ET
Distance | Surface: 1 1/16 miles | Dirt
Location: Gulfstream Park | Hallandale Beach, Fla.
Derby prep all weekend long on @TVG!
10 points are up for grabs tomorrow at Gulfstream Park in the G3 Holy Bull Stakes! Take a closer look at the field & tune-in for live coverage at 5PM ET / 2PM PT! pic.twitter.com/PB9Qhmkluy
— TVG (@TVG) February 4, 2022
Holy Bull Top Picks & Longshots
Andie Biancone
No. 2 Mo Donegal (5-2): This is going to be the nearly even-money favorite in this race and for good reason.
He has never finished off the board and made an extremely impressive effort in the Remsen despite enduring a turbulent trip. My only concern for this horse is that there isn’t much pace in this field, plus he has made it loud and clear based off his form that he likes to sit off or behind a little speed.
With the race being ending at the first finish line on a track with an already very short stretch, I worry Mo Donegal won't have enough time to chase down speedier opponents past the quarter pole.
Nevertheless, you really can’t go wrong with a horse as consistent as the Todd Pletcher charge, with jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. In the irons. I cannon discredit this horse’s connections or his past performances one bit, and he’s surely a standout among this group.
No. 8 White Abarrio (6-1): This contender is probably my top choice.
Not only does he have the home-field advantage, but he's one of the only speed horses in contention. And early speed has typically been a proven advantage in the Holy Bull Stakes.
He most recently finished third in the Kentucky Jockey Club against some extremely salty competition, ending up with a final time of speedy 1 minute, 43 seconds in the the 1 1/16th mile race.
The #RoadtotheDerby makes a stop at Gulfstream Park this Saturday for the G3 Holy Bull Stakes! Catch all the action on @TVG with full team coverage!
Race 11, 5:10PM ET / 2:10PM PThttps://t.co/nBYFHiOTnJpic.twitter.com/IFkiyv2zyC
— TVG (@TVG) February 4, 2022
White Abarrio is clearly able to contend with this caliber of competition, and he might have improved since his last start in the Jockey Club since being back on his home turf under the direct care of trainer Saffie Joseph Jr.
This horse also gets extremely brave when he takes the lead, as shown in his impressive win in the Optional Claiming race he galloped on Oct. 21. And other than Antonio Sano-trained Simplification and Michael Yates' Cajun Magic, I don’t think this horse has too much other speed to worry about.
Longshot — No. 1 Galt (15-1): Meet my live longshot at a big price.
Galt didn’t run the fastest opening fractions on debut, but he got completely shut off on the rail at the 3/8th pole, got caught five wide by the quarter pole and still managed to win the race by three lengths in a final time of 1:44.87. The was a faster time than many of the other competitors have been able to complete in 1 1/16 miles.
This is another horse where I'm slightly concerned about the early speed set-up, but he proved a lot in his debut. And since many of his competitors will be coming off a bit of a layoff, in addition to coming out of extremely salty races, this horse is at a definite advantage in terms of fitness and mental freshness.
Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott running this horse in a Grade III straight out of a maiden race is also quite the testament to his potential.
Jeremy Pond
Best Bets:
$10 Win | Place | Show: No. 6 Tiz the Bomb (6-1)
$4 Exacta: 2-6-8 over 1-2-4-6-8-9
$1.50 Trifecta: 2-6-8 over 1-2-4-6-8-9 over 1-2-4-5-6-8-9
Exotic Wagering
(Races 10-11)
Biancone's Daily Double — Sweetest Chant Stakes | Holy Bull Stakes:
1-2-5 | 1-2-8-9
Pond's Daily Double — Sweetest Chant Stakes | Holy Bull Stakes:
1-2-6-7 | 1-2-6-8
Late Pick 4 (Races 8 | 9 | 10 | 11)
Wager: $0.50
Picks
Race 8: 5-6-7
Race 9: 5-6-7-9-10
Race 10: 1-2-6-7
Race 11: 1-2-6-8
Large Field in Saturday's G3 Withers Stakes
The road to the Kentucky Derby also makes a stop at Aqueduct Racetrack on Saturday for the Withers Stakes, which features a wide-open field of 11 horses looking to secure points for the "Run for the Roses" at Churchill Downs.
Set for 1 1/8 miles on the dirt track, this field will be chasing the same points as those running in the Holy Bull at Gulfstream Park.
The field is set for Saturday's G3 Withers Stakes. Join us this weekend to see who will secure 10 points on the #RoadtotheDerby at the Big A!
Race 8, 4:25PM ET@SpendthriftFarmpic.twitter.com/4nocFx8d5t
— TVG (@TVG) February 2, 2022
Leading the large group heading to the starting gate are:
POST POSITION | HORSE | JOCKEY
- No. 1 — Constitutionlawyer | Jose Lezcano
- No. 4 — Gilded Age | Kendrick Carmouche
- No. 5 — Courvoisier | Ruben Silvera
- No. 9 — Early Voting | Jose Ortiz
This race will also air live on TVG, with the winner collecting 10 points. The second-place finisher earns four points, followed by third place (two points) and fourth place (one point) to complete the numerical awards.
Road to the 2022 Kentucky Derby
| DATE | STAKES RACE (GRADE) | TRACK (POINTS) OR WINNER |
|---|---|---|
| Jan. 22 | Lecomte (Grade III) | Call Me Midnight |
| Jan. 29 | Southwest (III) | Newgrange |
| Feb. 5 | Holy Bull (III) | White Abarrio |
| Feb. 5 | Withers (III) | Early Voting |
| Feb. 6 | Robert B. Lewis (III) | Messier |
| Feb. 12 | Sam F. Davis (III) | Tampa Bay Downs (10-4-2-1) |
| Feb. 12 | El Camino Real Derby | Golden Gate Fields (10-4-2-1) |
| Feb. 19 | Risen Star (III) | Fair Grounds (50-20-10-5) |
| Feb. 26 | Rebel (II) | Oaklawn Park (50-20-10-5) |
| March 5 | John Battaglia Memorial | Turfway Park (10-4-2-1) |
| March 5 | Fountain of Youth (II) | Gulfstream Park (50-20-10-5) |
| March 5 | San Felipe (II) | Santa Anita Park (50-20-10-5) |
| March 12 | Gotham (II) | Aqueduct (50-20-10-5) |
| March 12 | Tampa Bay Derby (II) | Tampa Bay Downs (50-20-10-5) |
| March 26 | UAE Derby | Meydan Racecourse (100-40-20-10) |
| March 26 | Louisiana Derby (II) | Louisiana Downs (100-40-20-10) |
| March 27 | Sunland Derby (III) | Sunland Park (50-20-10-5) |
| April 2 | Florida Derby (I) | Gulfstream Park (100-40-20-10) |
| April 2 | Arkansas Derby (I) | Oaklawn Park (100-40-20-10) |
| April 2 | Jeff Ruby Steaks (III) | Turfway Park (100-40-20-10) |
| April 9 | Wood Memorial (II) | Aqueduct (100-40-20-10) |
| April 9 | Blue Grass (II) | Keeneland (100-40-20-10) |
| April 9 | Santa Anita Derby (I) | Santa Anita Park (100-40-20-10) |
| April 16 | Lexington (III) | Keeneland (100-40-20-10) |
