U. S. S. Valor, American History could meet in Holy Bull to start Derby trail

ELMONT, N.Y. – How about this for a potential early-season matchup along the 2027 Kentucky Derby trail: U. S. S. Valor and American History in the Grade 3, $250,000 Holy Bull Stakes on Jan. 23 at Gulfstream Park.

It’s early November and a lot can – and likely will – happen over the next 11 weeks, but in separate interviews Wednesday morning at Belmont Park, both Shug McGaughey, trainer of Grade 1 Champagne winner U. S. S. Valor, and Todd Pletcher, trainer of Grade 1 Breeders’ Futurity winner and Breeders’ Cup Juvenile runner-up American History, mentioned the Holy Bull as potential starting points for their horses. McGaughey also mentioned the listed Swale Stakes at seven furlongs on the same Jan. 23 card as a starting point.

U. S. S. Valor, who was held out of the Breeders’ Cup by his connections, has recently picked up his training, McGaughey said. McGaughey said for the first few weeks after the Champagne, U. S. S. Valor alternated between walking under tack and galloping. He resumed full-time galloping on Oct. 26.

“Right now, he’s straight ahead,” McGaughey said outside his Belmont barn. “As long as the weather stays good, I’m going to keep him here.”

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U. S. S. Valor will eventually travel to South Florida for the winter.

McGaughey said he is thinking about running U. S. S. Valor three times before a hoped-for start in the May 1 Kentucky Derby. The South Florida Derby preps include the Grade 2, $400,000 Fountain of Youth on Feb. 27 and the Grade 1, $1 million Florida Derby on March 27.

“They’re made to run,” he said.

Pletcher mentioned the Holy Bull as the first of two starts for American History before the Derby. Pletcher won last year’s Holy Bull with Nearly, who then skipped the Fountain of Youth and ran fourth as the favorite in the Florida Derby.

“Right now, I’m thinking Holy Bull-Florida Derby, going in that direction,” Pletcher said. “That gives us a little leeway if for some reason he should not be ready for the Holy Bull.”

Pletcher said American History came out of his runner-up finish to Hughes in the BC Juvenile “really good” and he’s already shipped to Palm Beach Downs for the winter.

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