Henry's Holiday gives O'Neill second Juvenile hopeful

ARCADIA, Calif. -- Henry’s Holiday was the surprise winner of a maiden race for 2-year-olds on Friday, easily beating stablemate and heavy favorite Sky Preacher by 3 1/4 lengths.

The win gives trainer Doug O’Neill a second candidate for the $125,000 Santa Anita Juvenile over 5 1/2 furlongs on June 22.

Henry’s Holiday ($20.80) ran 4 1/2 furlongs in 52.25 seconds. He took the lead in early stretch and was not threatened late. Sky Preacher was 1-2. The first two finishers are trained by O’Neill, who said he expected a reverse outcome.

“In the mornings, Sky Preacher has shown more and done things more easily,” he said. “Henry’s Holiday puts a lot into things.

“As we were watching his breezes, we were impressed but we thought he’d need a different surface. We thought he’d be a nice grass horse.”

Henry’s Holiday, by Harlan’s Holiday, was purchased for $115,000 at the Ocala Breeders Sale of 2-year-olds in-training in March. The colt races for Success Racing.

O’Neill won a maiden race for 2-year-olds on May 1 with the promising colt Wake Up Nick, a California-bred colt by Cindago.