Holy Bull Stakes Preview

Gulfstream Park has put together another stellar card for Saturday, topped by the $350,000 Fasig-Tipton Holy Bull Stakes (G2), which goes as race 11. The Holy Bull is the second race on the road to the Florida Derby (G1) and pits up and comer Mihos against proven graded winner Maximus Mischief. 

#6 Mihos (Jerkens) broke his maiden at Aqueduct on November 24 in his second start. The son of Cairo Prince then took Gulfstream’s Mucho Macho Man Stakes on January 5, defeating fellow Holy Bull starter #1 Garter and Tie, who ran third. Mihos will have this third rider in as many starts as John Velazquez takes over the mount.

#8 Maximus Mischief get Mihos’s former rider as Jose Ortiz climbs aboard for trainer Robert Reid, Jr. The son of Into Mischief is unbeaten in three starts, including the grade 2 Remsen Stakes at Aqueduct on December 1. That was a strong effort where he went to the lead early and had to fight in the lane to ultimately pull away from second place runner Network Effect. Maximus Mischief fired a bullet five furlongs over the course on January 18, drilling in :58 flat.

Other contenders include unbeaten #2 Federal Case for Todd Pletcher, and recent maiden breakers #5 Harvey Wallbanger and #7 Come On Gerry.

Before the big race are the $150,000 Forward Gal Stakes and the $150,000 Swale Stakes, both grade 3 races at seven furlongs. The Forward Gal, for sophomore fillies, features stakes winners #3 Fashion Faux Pas and #7 Bye Bye J who will go against #4 Feedback, a Chad Brown-trainee who broke her maiden at Saratoga in August by eight lengths. The daughter of Violence has not run since but has worked solidly for her return, including a :48/2 move at Palm Meadows on January 28.

The Swale could have Derby implications in the form of #5 Call Paul, who exits a Parx stakes win by five lengths in December. He is already grade 1 placed at Belmont Park and is three for five lifetime. #8 Seismic Jolt is coming off a win in the Limehouse Stakes over this track on January 5. #9 Zenden is unbeaten in two starts over the course, and #11 Country Singer has won two in a row by a combined 12 lengths.

First post is 12:00pm Eastern.