Bet on the Holy Bull Stakes
Florida's beautiful Gulfstream Park racetrack hosts the Holy Bull Stakes, which was recently upgraded to a from a Grade 3 to a Grade 2 competition. This race takes place on the dirt track at a distance of 1 1/16 mile with three-year-old thoroughbreds running for a total purse of $400,000. After the Flamingo Stakes stopped running due to the temporary shutdown of Hileah Park race track, the Holy Bull Stakes became the de facto prep race for the Florida Derby and part of the Road to the Kentucky Derby.
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* REMINDER! - you must be of legal age in your state or province to legally wager on thoroughbred or harness horse racing. Please bet responsibly!
Holy Bull Stakes Betting Odds
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2017 Holy Bull Contenders
Though the field for the 2016 edition of the Holy Bull Stakes (G2) was a compact one with only six contenders, the race was not lacking in star power. Mohaymen, the undefeated and so-far brilliant colt, would be making his fourth career start.
Purchased for $2.2 million as a yearling, the highly-regarded son of Tapit had done everything right as a juvenile and had won all three starts, two of which came against graded stakes competition. With a recent bullet workout in preparation for his three-year-old debut, he went to the gate as the heavy favorite. Mohaymen delivered – despite a bump at the start, the strapping colt rated under jockey Junior Alvarado until the ¾ pole and then opened up an easy two-length lead at the top of the stretch. He drew off to win by 3 ½ lengths and stamped himself as an early favorite for the Kentucky Derby.
2016 Order of Finish: Win Place Show
1st: Mohaymen $2.60 $2.10 $2.10
2nd: Greenpointcrusader $2.60 $2.20
3rd: Fellowship $3.80
(Also Ran: Conquest Big E, Frontier Ranger, Perfect Saint)
Check back closer to the race for the contenders for the 2017 Holy Bull Stakes.
Did you know?
The main reason the Holy Bull Stakes draws significant competition is because it's a part of the prep season on the road to the Kentucky Derby. The winner earns 10 points, which can make a huge difference in the final standings and whether or not a horse qualifies for the Kentucky Derby. A purse of $400,000 and the potential to win a bonus of up to $5,500,000 for the Preakness Bonus and $550,000 for the XpressBet Bonus also draws significant competition.
Started in 1990 as the Preview Stakes, this race was renamed in honor of Holy Bull, member of the U.S. Racing Hall of Fame. While the Holy Bull Stakes has been run at a variety of distances, the record for the most commonly run length – 1 1/16 mile – is 1:41.62, achieved by Go For Gin in 1994. Barbaro, the powerful and tragic winner of the 2006 Kentucky Derby, won a 1 1/8 mile version of the Holy Bull Stakes in a blistering 1:49.31. Shackleford took home the $550,000 Xpressbet bonus in 2011 by competing in the Holy Bull Stakes, winning the Preakness Stakes and finishing second in the Florida Derby.