Allowance winner Black N Beauty to be pointed to Holy Bull

HALLANDALE BEACH, FLA. - Black N Beauty became a fringe player on the Kentucky Derby trail when gliding away to a 2 1/2-length victory Friday in a first-level, one-turn-mile allowance, the first race of note among potential Derby contenders at the 79-day Gulfstream meet.

With Kent Desormeaux aboard from post 1 in field of nine 3-year-olds, Black N Beauty used his early speed to take control down the backstretch and was never seriously threatened from there, finishing in 1:37.48 over a fast track and returning $7.80 as third choice. Printing Press was second, another 2 3/4 lengths ahead of Shadow Warrior, the 2-1 favorite.

Black N Beauty, owned by Zayat Stables, was coming off a victory in a Churchill Downs maiden sprint.

“He was a little quieter for me today – I needed him to be,” Desormeaux told trainer Dale Romans afterward.

Romans said Black N Beauty likely would run back Jan. 30 in the Grade 3, $400,000 Holy Bull Stakes at Gulf on Jan. 30, also run at a one-turn mile.

Black N Beauty, by Devil His Due, was bred in Ontario by Adena Springs. He was bought for a mere $2,500 at the 2009 Keeneland September yearling sale.

“My understanding is that he went so cheap because he was one of the last horses through the ring, and hardly anybody was left in the pavilion,” said Romans. “Whatever it was, he’s obviously worth more than that now.”