Maximus Mischief looks to stay perfect in Holy Bull

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – For the owners and trainers of the 10 horses running in Saturday’s $350,000 Holy Bull Stakes, the dream starts now – the dream of filling one of the coveted 20 spots in this year’s Kentucky Derby field.

A victory or, at the very least, a promising performance in the Grade 2 Holy Bull will extend that dream a little longer for one or more of the 3-year-olds in the lineup for the first of the three key Kentucky Derby preps to be decided again this season at Gulfstream Park – a series that concludes, as usual, with the $1 million Florida Derby on March 30.

The 1 1/16-mile Holy Bull, which offers 17 Kentucky Derby qualifying points, 10 of which go to the winner, highlights a 12-race program that features two other local 3-year-old fixtures, the Grade 3 Swale and its filly counterpart, the Grade 3 Forward Gal. First post is noon Eastern.

Nobody has a right to dream about the Kentucky Derby more than the partnership of Cash Is King Stable and LC Racing and their trainer, Robert “Butch” Reid Jr., who’ll send out the undefeated Maximus Mischief as the heavy favorite in the Holy Bull. Maximus Mischief, a stunning-looking son of Into Mischief, is perfect in three starts, having won those races by a combined 17 lengths, including the Grade 2 Remsen by 2 1/4 lengths going 1 1/8 miles on Dec. 1 at Aqueduct.

Maximus Mischief earned Beyer Speed Figures of 94, 98, and 97 in his three 2-year-old outings, each of those numbers higher than any posted by his nine rivals here Saturday in 37 combined starts to date. Maximus Mischief will have to pay for that success under the conditions of the Holy Bull, toting the high weight of 122 pounds while conceding two to six pounds to the competition. He also must overcome a bit of a tricky post, breaking from stall No. 8, with a short run to the first turn in races decided at 1 1/16 miles at Gulfstream Park.

Jose Ortiz, who breezed Maximus Mischief for the first time here Monday, will replace Frankie Pennington, who was aboard for the colt’s three wins.

“One great asset this horse has is his natural speed, so he can put himself in a forward position very easily,” Reid said. “But at the same time, he showed in the Remsen he absolutely doesn’t necessarily need the lead to win. He’s also been maturing with every start, both on the racetrack and in the paddock, and he’s really stepped forward even further since he’s been down here in Florida.

“And he’s already been a mile and one-eighth, which I think is an advantage. We’ve gotten in all the work we wanted to, he’s had several big, long gallops, a couple of speed breezes, and Monday’s little half-mile should set him up really well.”

Among those with perhaps the most realistic dreams of upsetting the favorite are the connections of the undefeated Federal Case and the once-beaten stakes winner Mihos.

Federal Case was a game winner of both starts at 2, the first with trainer Rodolphe Brisset at Keeneland, the second going a mile under the tutelage of Todd Pletcher here Dec. 23. Federal Case, a son of Gemologist, will have Javier Castellano aboard for the first time, with John Velazquez, who guided him to his allowance victory in his 2-year-old finale, opting to replace Ortiz on Mihos.

“He’s trained very forwardly since the allowance race and gives the impression he wants more distance,” Pletcher said of Federal Case. “I’ve really been looking forward to stretching him out around two turns after the way he got up in the last jumps like he did here the last time.”

Mihos finished third debuting at six furlongs last September at Belmont but has returned to win his next two starts, including the one-mile Mucho Macho Man here last month. In that stakes race, he rallied to a neck decision over the pacesetting Trophy Chaser and earned a career-best 90 Beyer. Jimmy Jerkens trains Mihos for Centennial Farms.

“The one-turn races are funny. They slowed up the last part because they went so fast early. That’s why we want to get this two-turn race into him early on to give him some experience at it, instead of waiting a month,” Jerkens said, referring to his option of skipping the Holy Bull and waiting for the Fountain of Youth on March 2.

Garter and Tie has the home-court edge, having made all seven previous starts at Gulfstream Park and winning a pair of stakes, including the one-mile Smooth Air to close his very successful 2-year-old campaign. Garter and Tie also drew the advantageous inside post at the distance while looking to avenge his third-place finish behind Mihos in the Mucho Macho Man, where he was beaten just 2 1/2 lengths following a bit of an eventful start.

The Dale Romans pair of Everfast and Come On Gerry, Epic Dreamer, Harvey Wallbanger, Gladiator King, and Going for Gold, the only maiden in the lineup, complete the field.