Gunnevera, Irish War Cry merit respect in Holy Bull

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Classic Empire will be an odds-on choice when the Gulfstream Park trail to the Kentucky Derby starts Saturday with the Grade 2, $350,000 Holy Bull Stakes. And he should be, considering that the colt is the reigning divisional champion and was the favored individual betting interest in the first two pools of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager.

But if Classic Empire somehow stubs his toe in the Holy Bull, Irish War Cry or Gunnevera could be there to pull an upset in the 1 1/16-mile race.

Gunnevera, the winner of the $1 million Delta Jackpot in November, is “100 percent in condition,” said trainer Antonio Sano. “I’m very happy with him. He has trained very well. The race isn’t going to be easy but … he’s a special horse.”

Gunnevera was 24-1 in Derby Pool 1 and 22-1 in Derby Pool 2.

Trainer Graham Motion said he was torn between running Irish War Cry in the Holy Bull or waiting another week for the Sam F. Davis Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs. Both races are worth 10 points to the winner toward Derby eligibility.

“More than likely, we’ll end up running Saturday at Gulfstream,” Motion said this week from his Maryland base. “He’s been down there in Florida the better part of a month and has had two works at Palm Meadows. He’s ready.”

Irish War Cry, 26-1 in both futures pools, has won both of his starts, both at Laurel Park.

At least nine 3-year-olds were expected when Saturday entries were drawn Wednesday. Cavil, Fact Finding, Fire for Effect, Perro Rojo, Shamsaan, and Talk Logistics are the other probables.

The Holy Bull leads into the March 4 Fountain of Youth and the April 1 Florida Derby at Gulfstream. The Holy Bull anchors a Saturday card that also includes four other stakes, all for 3-year-olds. Here’s the rundown on those supporting events:

◗ Grade 2, $200,000 Swale Stakes: Three Rules, the standout Florida-bred with just one defeat in six career starts, figures as a solid favorite among at least six horses expected for this seven-furlong race.

Three Rules was considered for the Holy Bull until trainer Jose Pinchin settled on the shorter distance of the Swale. A good effort from Three Rules could earn him a spot in the Fountain of Youth.

Other contenders include Sonic Mule, the winner of the Jan. 7 Mucho Macho Man for Todd Pletcher, and Favorable Outcome, regrouped by Chad Brown since a 12th-place finish in the BC Juvenile Turf.

◗ Grade 2, $200,000 Forward Gal: Pretty City Dancer, a dead-heat winner of the Grade 1 Spinaway at Saratoga, will be favored in this filly counterpart to the Swale when facing at least six others, with Ms Locust Point among her chief threats.

Ms Locust Point, a winner of her last two starts, is trained by John Servis, who won the Forward Gal last year with eventual Kentucky Oaks winner Cathryn Sophia.

◗ Grade 3, $100,000 Sweetest Chant: This one-mile turf race might be the most well-balanced of the Saturday stakes, with no standout favorite in a field of at least nine fillies. Brown sends out Rymska, fifth in the BC Juvenile Fillies Turf in her last start.

◗ Grade 3, $100,000 Kitten’s Joy: Made You Look, an eye-catching winner of the 7 1/2-furlong Dania Beach last month for Pletcher, should rule the tote when stretching out slightly in this male counterpart to the Sweetest Chant. At least seven colts and geldings were expected.