Nearly surges impressively to win Holy Bull
?q=100)
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Just 48 hours after losing the number one Kentucky Derby contender, Eclipse Award winner Ted Noffey, to bone bruising, trainer Todd Pletcher got a big lift from another of his top 3-year-old prospects when the steadily improving Nearly drew off to a very impressive 5 3/4-length victory over the previously undefeated Bravaro in Saturday’s Grade 3, $275,000 Holy Bull Stakes at Gulfstream Park.
The victory was the third in a row for Nearly, who earned 20 qualifying points toward this year’s Derby with his performance.
Stretching out to 1 1/16 miles for the first time, Nearly broke alertly and immediately hooked up on the lead with the 3-2 favorite Cannoneer, the two disputing a rapid pace, with splits of 22.82 seconds, 45.96 and 1:10.32 for the opening six furlongs, while kept well off the inside rail in the run down the backstretch.
Turning for home, Nearly began to edge clear of his early rival while angled out even wider by jockey John Velazquez in the better footing at the top of the stretch. Nearly readily shook off a mild bid from Bravaro approaching the furlong grounds before pulling away with authority at the end.
Bravaro sat a perfect trip, stalking the embattled leaders for six furlongs and came widest while edging closer to Nearly at the top of the lane, but ultimately proved no match. He was easily best of the others, finishing 2 3/4 lengths in front of Project Ace, who rallied from last to finish third.
Cannoneer, a runaway maiden winner in his 2-year-old finale, had little left after six furlongs and finished a tiring and well-beaten fourth in his two-turn debut.
Incredibolt, who won the Grade 3 Street Sense Stakes at Churchill Downs to cap off his juvenile campaign, was a major disappointment, finishing a distant sixth and last in his 3-year-old bow. Roger That Dana, Buetane and Game for It were scratched.
Nearly, a son of Not This Time, is owned by Centennial Farms. He covered the distance over a fast track in 1:44.52 and paid $5.40. Nearly was given a 98 Beyer Speed Figure.
“We wanted to get to the first turn forwardly and be in a good stalking position,” said Pletcher immediately after the race. “Those two (Nearly and Cannoneer) went to the first turn and they were clicking right along. It looked like he (Nearly) got into a good rhythm. At that point I was a little worried they might be closing from behind, because they went pretty fast together early. But when he turned for home, it looked like he had a lot of horse under him. We always thought he’d handle the stretch-out, but it’s always good to see it.”
Pletcher said he had a lot of confidence in Nearly prior to the race.
“The horse was training super and we felt good coming into this,” Pletcher said. “That was everything we were hoping it to be.”
Pletcher said there’s always going to be ups and downs in the game when asked about the disappointment of having to take Ted Noffey off the Derby trail earlier in the week.
“He won’t be the only defection on the way to the Derby,” Pletcher said. “We were fortunate he had a magnificent 2-year-old campaign. It just wasn’t meant to be in the early spring for this year. I don’t really look at it like this one replaces that one. This horse has been doing well on his own. We had high hopes for him and we’re happy to have him.”
While Pletcher did not commit Nearly to the $1 million Florida Derby on March 28 in the aftermath of the Holy Bull, it sounded like he was leaning in that direction.
“This was his third race pretty close together. We felt like we’d get the two-turn race under his belt and see where we stood,” Pletcher said when asked what might be next for Nearly. “The horse is 3 for 3 at Gulfstream and there’s plenty of time to the Florida Derby, so it probably makes sense to take a close look at staying at home.”
Trainer Saffie Joseph said he was extremely pleased with the New York-bred Bravaro’s performance making his first start around two turns and first start outside of statebred company.
“Obviously, you want to win, but take nothing away from the winner, he was the best horse today,” Joseph acknowledged. We made a run at him and we couldn’t beat him. I think he’ll move forward huge and I feel we have a legit horse on the Derby trail.”
Joseph said it would make sense to bring Bravaro back in the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth on Feb. 29.
Trainer Riley Mott felt Incredibolt was “struggling over the ground and just spinning his tires down the backside” although Mott acknowledged given that, he still expected a better effort from his top Derby prospect.
“Even if a horse didn’t like the track that much, you would have liked to have seen him be a little more engaged,” Mott said.
- Additional reporting by David Grening
:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.