The South Florida spur of the Kentucky Derby trail gets underway Saturday, February 2 with the $250,000 Holy Bull Stakes at Gulfstream Park! The 1 1/16-mile dirt race drew a field of eight rising sophomore stars including champion juvenile Fierceness. The spoils include not only the purse but also 20-10-6-4-2 Road to the Kentucky Derby points, meaning horses who run well here get off to a good start toward the Run for the Roses!
Gulfstream’s series of Kentucky Derby preps is perennially one of the most important sets of Kentucky Derby prep races. In recent years its winners have included Belmont Stakes winner Tiz the Law and Breeders’ Cup Classic winner White Abarrio. Keep reading to find out who has the best chance to win this year, and to see the best places to bet on the Holy Bull Stakes online in Florida!
Deciding where to bet the races online can appear difficult at first because there are many online racebooks out there. However, our expert online horse betting reviews help you separate the wheat from the chaff quickly. All of our recommended sites have the basics: trusted payouts, market-leading odds, and smooth user interfaces.
Each site also offers its own slate of racebook bonuses, better than anything you will ever find at the track or the OTB. These include deposit and sign-up bonuses, referral benefits, and even rebates that pay you for every bet you make. Choosing the right betting bonuses for the way you play can help you supercharge your bankroll, so it’s worth taking a few minutes to read the reviews and pick the best one for you!
These are the best places to bet the Holy Bull Stakes online in Florida:
This is the official field for the 2024 Holy Bull Stakes including draw numbers, trainers, and jockeys:
Closer to race day, the track will release morning-line odds for the race. They can be a good guide to which horses are expected to get some betting play, but they are not a guarantee of the price you will get. If you bet at the track or the OTB, prices will fluctuate all the way until post time. If you see an overlay on a horse, you are not guaranteed to get that price.
Your best bet is to play the Holy Bull at an online racebook. Online racebooks offer fixed-odds betting on major races. That way, you can lock in the best price on your pick simply by placing a bet on the race. Then, you can watch the race confident that you are protected from late moves in price.
Fierceness, the juvenile champion, will take serious beating in the Holy Bull. Even though he laid an egg in the Champagne (G1) after a poor start, both his maiden race and his Breeders’ Cup Juvenile effort were excellent, and significantly faster than anything that anyone else in the field has put up so far.
Speed is not the only thing he has going for him. Fierceness is also the only winner at this distance. His trainer Todd Pletcher knows how to get a horse ready off a layoff, and Fierceness’ debut win bodes well in that regard, too. The price will be short, but with a pressing style and a clean draw, he has every chance to impress.
The most likely horse to complete the exacta underneath the favorite is Domestic Product. Many of the horses in the field lack two-turn experience, but he is a winner going nine furlongs at Aqueduct. He came up flat in the mud last time, but with dry footing likely Saturday he should be able to get a good stalking trip and keep on well late.
Otello has significant upside stepping up in trip. He has yet to try two turns yet, with both his starts coming at the one-turn mile, but he is by Curlin out of Isabella Sings: two graded-quality routers. His win in the Mucho Macho Man proved he can handle Gulfstream, and aggressive rider Luis Saez should be able to keep him in contention from start to finish.
For deeper exotics in the Holy Bull, put Dancing Groom in the mix. He is the only horse other than Fierceness and Domestic Product to have tried two turns…well, perhaps more like a turn and a half, as that win came with the one-mile chute at Saratoga. He disappointed in the Kentucky Jockey Club (G2) last out, but has freshened up since then and adds blinkers, a rock-solid move for solid local trainer Antonio Sano.
You have your online betting account. You have gotten to know the field. The only thing left to do is the most fun part of all: making your bet on the first Kentucky Derby prep of the year at Gulfstream Park!
These are the best bets for Sunday’s 2024 Holy Bull Stakes:
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