McPeek sends out Mayberry Deputy in search of another Holy Bull upset

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Kenny McPeek sent out Harvey Wallbanger to a 29-1 upset of the Holy Bull Stakes last year, so there’s fresh precedent for something similar to happen Saturday at Gulfstream Park.

McPeek will be back in the Holy Bull with another longshot, Mayberry Deputy, although he doesn’t expect the Majesticperfection colt to be quite as big a price on the tote.

“Probably not,” McPeek said. “His maiden win last month was impressive in the sense he got bounced around quite a bit, yet he still came through and got the job done.”

Mayberry Deputy was one of at least seven 3-year-olds expected to be entered here Wednesday for the Grade 3, $250,000 Holy Bull, a 1 1/16-mile race that kicks off the Gulfstream trail to the Kentucky Derby in earnest. The Holy Bull is one of the last 17-point qualifying events (10-4-2-1) toward the Derby; point values for most preps will increase as the May 2 race draws closer.

Mayberry Deputy, owned by the Walking L Thoroughbreds of Scott Leeds, has yet to race around two turns, having rallied from midpack in capturing a maiden race here Dec. 28 when going a one-turn mile in his third start.

“I’m dying to run him two turns,” McPeek said. “I think he’ll improve significantly with extra ground. We’d love to see him do well and put us in the 3-year-old picture.”

Ever so momentarily, Harvey Wallbanger put himself in the 2019 Derby picture by winning the Holy Bull over Everfast, a 128-1 shot who ended a $2 exacta worth $2,203.40. Unfortunately for McPeek, Harvey Wallbanger was soundly defeated in his next two races, the Florida Derby and Lexington Stakes, and also failed to win in five subsequent starts.

“We tried, but he just wasn’t good enough,” McPeek said. “We’re thinking about bringing him back for his first start as a 4-year-old in a two-other-than allowance Sunday at Gulfstream.”

The 30th running of the Holy Bull is expected to have Tiz the Law as the favorite over Caracaro. Tiz the Law, trained by Barclay Tagg, was in from his Palm Meadows training base to school in the Gulfstream paddock before the first race Wednesday.

Other expected starters are Ete Indien and Toledo, the one-two finishers in a key allowance run here Dec. 20; Uncork the Bottle, unbeaten in three starts, albeit in inferior company; and Relentless Dancer, unraced since an easy score over Louisiana-breds in October.

Trainer Kelly Breen said early Wednesday he was still trying to decide whether to enter As Seen On Tv, second by a head to Chance It in the Jan. 4 Mucho Macho Man.

The Holy Bull is the anchor of a Saturday during which four other stakes, all for 3-year-olds, will be featured on a 12-race card. Those other races are the Grade 3 Swale, the Grade 3 Forward Gal, the Grade 3 Sweetest Chant, and the Dania Beach.