Tiz the Law tops among Holy Bull probables

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Tiz the Law is the biggest name expected next Saturday when the Gulfstream Park trail to the Kentucky Derby gets started in earnest with the Holy Bull Stakes.

Tiz the Law, third as the 3-5 favorite in the Nov. 30 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes at Churchill Downs in his final start at 2, will be looking to return to the form that took him to a four-length triumph in the Champagne in October. Trained by Barclay Tagg, the Constitution colt has been on a steady breeze schedule since late December at his winter base at the Palm Meadows training center.

Tiz the Law is one of at least six 3-year-olds expected by Gulfstream racing officials for the Grade 3, $250,000 Holy Bull. As of Friday, the others confirmed from a nominations list of 27 are Caracaro, Ete Indien, Mayberry Deputy, Toledo, and Uncork the Bottle. Another prospect or two could surface before entries are taken Wednesday.

Caracaro, who earned a 92 Beyer Speed Figure in winning a one-mile maiden race on Jan. 11 at Gulfstream, has been the subject of a possible private sale in recent weeks. In the meantime, the Uncle Mo colt has remained in training at Gulfstream West with Gustavo Delgado.

Ete Indien and Toledo were the respective one-two finishers in a key one-mile Gulfstream allowance on Dec. 20. Mayberry Deputy won a Dec. 28 maiden race, while Uncork the Bottle is unbeaten in three starts while climbing the class ladder from the maiden claiming ranks.

Seventeen qualifying points (10-4-2-1) toward the May 2 Kentucky Derby are at stake in the Holy Bull, which at 1 1/16 miles is the first two-turn race of the Gulfstream prep season. The Feb. 29 Fountain of Youth and March 28 Florida Derby follow.

The Holy Bull is one of five stakes, all for 3-year-olds, to be run on another busy Saturday at Gulfstream. The others are the $150,000 Swale and $150,000 Forward Gal, both at seven furlongs, and the $100,000 Dania Beach and $100,000 Sweetest Chant, both at a mile on turf. All but the ungraded Dania Beach are Grade 3 races.

Perhaps the Swale favorite will be Untitled, who will make his first start since majority interest in the colt was sold privately to Gary Barber, who turned him over to trainer Mark Casse. Untitled, a Florida-bred by Khozan, earned a 98 Beyer last month in winning his career debut at six furlongs when still trained by Ralph Nicks.

Other Swale probables include Green Light Go, unraced since finishing second as the Champagne favorite behind Tiz the Law, and Necker Island, a winner in two of three starts, all for trainer Stan Hough.