Classic Empire likely to face six or seven in Holy Bull
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With divisional champion Classic Empire heading the prospective lineup, a field of seven or eight is forming for the first major 3-year-old event of the Gulfstream championship meet, the Grade 2, $350,000 Holy Bull Stakes next Saturday.
Classic Empire was scheduled to have his final prerace breeze this weekend at his Palm Meadows base, according to trainer Mark Casse.
“So far, everything’s going to plan,” Casse said Friday. “We’re in good shape.”
Julien Leparoux will have the mount back on Classic Empire, the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner who figures as a solid favorite in the 1 1/16-mile Holy Bull. Other starters from a nomination list of 32 include Gunnevera, the winner of the Saratoga Special and Delta Jackpot for Antonio Sano; J Boys Echo, trained by Dale Romans; Shamsaan, trained by Kiaran McLaughlin; probably one or two of the 10 nominees for trainer Todd Pletcher, pending weekend workouts; plus maybe another starter or two, according to stakes coordinator Mike Costanzo.
The Holy Bull is worth 17 points, including 10 to the winner, toward eligibility to the 143rd Kentucky Derby. It’s one of five stakes, all for 3-year-olds, on tap Saturday at Gulfstream. Entries will be drawn Wednesday.
Among the locally based 3-year-olds bypassing the Holy Bull are McCraken and Wild Shot, the one-two finishers in the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes at Churchill Downs in November. They’re being pointed to a rematch the following Saturday, Feb. 11, in the Grade 3 Sam F. Davis Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs.
The Holy Bull is one of three points races next Saturday toward the May 6 Derby, along with the Withers at Aqueduct and the Robert B. Lewis at Santa Anita.
◗ Three Rules, the standout Florida-bred who suffered his first defeat when sixth behind Classic Empire in the BC Juvenile, will make his 3-year-old debut as a heavy favorite in the Grade 2, $200,000 Swale Stakes on the Holy Bull undercard.
A short field is likely for the seven-furlong Swale, which drew 24 nominees. Pletcher has six and intends to use the next few days to sort out who will go in the Holy Bull and who in the Swale.
Also on the undercard is the filly counterpart to the Swale: the Grade 2, $200,000 Forward Gal, for which Casse will have the solid favorite in Pretty City Dancer. Another short field is likely for the seven-furlong Forward Gal, which Cathryn Sophia won easily last year in prepping for her victory in the Kentucky Oaks.
Twin turf races round out the stakes action for next Saturday. They’re the Grade 3 Sweetest Chant and Kitten’s Joy, both $100,000 races going a mile.