Enticed to get season started in Holy Bull Stakes

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – It never ends at Gulfstream Park. One weekend after the $16 million Pegasus World Cup and the dispersal of a gigantic Rainbow 6 pool were to occur here, the first major race in the Gulfstream series of Kentucky Derby preps for 3-year-olds is on tap with the 29th running of the Grade 2, $350,000 Holy Bull Stakes next Saturday.

Enticed, the winner of the Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes in November in his most recent start, is foremost among the known prospects for the 1 1/16-mile Holy Bull. Based at the Palm Meadows training center with trainer Kiaran McLaughlin, the Godolphin homebred colt was sent through his final prerace breeze Friday, a half-mile in 49.30 seconds.

“He’s been working weekly [since Jan. 5],” said McLaughlin. “He worked very well this morning. We’re excited about getting his 3-year-old campaign under way.”

McLaughlin said Joel Rosario will have the mount on Enticed, who was ridden in his first three starts by Junior Alvarado.

Among the 26 nominees to the Holy Bull, Todd Pletcher and Dale Romans combined to have more than half with seven apiece. Both trainers are expected to have multiple starters. Pletcher is leaning toward Audible and Bal Harbour, while Romans said he will run Tiz Mischief “and probably at least one more” after assessing workouts from this weekend.

The Holy Bull will be followed on the Gulfstream stakes schedule by the 1 1/16-mile Fountain of Youth on March 3 and the 1 1/8-mile Florida Derby on March 31.

The Holy Bull is the richest of five graded stakes, all for 3-year-olds, on yet another huge Saturday here. The others are the Grade 2 Forward Gal and Grade 3 Swale, both at seven furlongs, and the Grade 3 Dania Beach and Grade 3 Sweetest Chant, both at 1 1/16 miles on turf.

The Forward Gal will be the first race for Take Charge Paula since the three-time stakes winner was purchased privately by Peter Deutsch and turned over to McLaughlin.