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Holy Bull: Simplification Should Appreciate More Distance, ‘Ratable’ Tiz The Bomb Returns To Dirt

Tami Bobo's Simplification stretched out to a mile for his stakes debut in the Jan. 1 Mucho Macho Man at Gulfstream, and the Antonio Sano-trained colt rolled to a four-length front-running victory without taking a deep breath.

The 3-year-old son of Not This Time broke his maiden at six furlongs by 16 ¾ lengths in 1:09.81 on the front end in his second career start, but his trainer was convinced that he wanted more ground after having a rough go of things in his next start at six furlongs. After breaking from the rail, he set a pressured early pace and finished third behind talented sprinter Of a Revolution, a prominent entrant in Saturday's $100,000 Claiborne Swale (G3).

“After the race before the Mucho Macho Man, I started training him for long races. I think that more distance is better for my horse,” Sano said. “I gave him open gallops to make him strong for the Mucho Macho Man, and after the Mucho Macho Man, I continued to do the same thing.”

Sano saddled Gunnevera for a second-place finish in the 2017 Holy Bull before his last-to-first 5 ¾-length victory in the Fountain of Youth (G2) in his next start.

“They are different horses. Gunnevera had only one pace and made one run,” Sano said. “This horse can relax or can go to the front. You can put the horse wherever you want him.”

Hall of Famer Javier Castellano, who rode the $5.5 million-earning Gunnevera in the Fountain of Youth, has the return call aboard Simplification for Saturday's Holy Bull.

Phoenix Thoroughbreds LTD's Tiz the Bomb has shown himself to be a talented colt on turf, but trainer Kenny McPeek isn't quite ready to classify him as a turf horse just yet.

The son of Hit It a Bomb is coming off a late-closing second in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G1) at Del Mar that followed a victory in the Bourbon (G2) at Keeneland, but he also broke his maiden on dirt in an off-the-turf race at Ellis Park by 14 ¼ lengths.

“I think a good horse can do that. He's out of a Tiznow mare and his sire's line is War Front. I don't think you have to pigeonhole him as a turf horse,” McPeek said. “The only reason he ran turf last fall was because we had some other 2-year-olds that were ready scheduled for races, and I wanted to keep them separated. This time it's his chance to show how good he is.”

McPeek expressed confidence in his colt's chances in the Holy Bull, the first graded stakes for 3-year-olds on the Road to the Curlin Florida Derby (G1).

“He's probably going to show a little more pace in this race and we're going to let him run free and do his thing. He's very ratable,” McPeek said. “When he broke his maiden at a mile at Ellis, he ran off and won by 14 lengths. I don't have that expectation for this race, but I do expect him to run good.”

Brian Hernandez Jr. will travel from Fair Grounds for the Holy Bull.

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Juvenile Third Giant Game ‘Looking Good, Feeling Good’ Ahead Of Holy Bull

West Point Thoroughbreds and Albaugh Family Stable LLC's Giant Game is set to make his 3-year-old debut in Saturday's $250,000 Holy Bull (G3) at Gulfstream Park a bigger and, hopefully, better racehorse.

“Like we say every year, this is the time for the 2-year-olds to turn into men and grow up,” trainer Dale Romans said. “I think he's made a good turn. He had a little freshener. He had a few weeks off after the Breeders' Cup and has gone right back in training.”

If Giant Game, who finished third in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) in only his third career start, returns to action just a little bit better Saturday, the son of Giant's Causeway should be expected to be a major factor in the 1 1/16-mile prep on the Road to the Curlin Florida Derby (G1).

“He's gotten a lot thicker. He's not the tallest horse in the world. He's a more racier Giant's Causeway than you usually see. He has started to thicken up and start to look like the rest of them,” Romans said.

“I think this is the best place to winter to make them good horses later. That's what I'm seeing from him. He's looking good, feeling good. This warm salty air is good for him.”

Giant Game made a late run to finish third in his Sept. 18 six-furlong debut at Churchill Downs before stretching out to 1 1/16 miles to graduate going away by three lengths at Keeneland next time out. The performance encouraged Romans to ship him to Del Mar for the Breeders' Cup.

“I put my neck on the line there, coming off a maiden race at Keeneland. But when you have a horse with his pedigree, looks like him, acts like him, and runs like he did, you expect him to perform at the highest level, so you put them in the highest-level races,” Romans said.

Leading jockey Luis Saez will ride Giant Game for the first time in the Holy Bull.

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Weekend Lineup: Three Stops On The Road To Louisville

A trio of Kentucky Derby prep races are on the cards this weekend, including stakes at Gulfstream Park, Aqueduct, and Santa Anita.

Each offers the winner 10 points toward the Run for the Roses.

The Grade 3 Holy Bull at Gulfstream is perhaps the most contentious of the three, pitting G2 Remsen winner Mo Donegal against a pair of G1-placed runners, Tiz the Bomb and Giant Game.

Aqueduct's G3 Withers features a field of 11 topped by Jerome winner Courvoisier, while a field of five will contest Sunday's G3 Bob Lewis Stakes at Santa Anita.

Also on tap this weekend are four additional graded stakes at Gulfstream, a pair of G3 turf contests at Tampa Bay Downs, four other graded stakes at Santa Anita, and 10 Louisiana-bred stakes worth just shy of $1 million at Delta Downs.

Saturday

4:25 p.m. – G3 Withers Stakes at Aqueduct

Courvoisier will look to build on a 10-point triumph last out in the Jerome on New Year's Day at Aqueduct. The regally-bred son of Tapit, out of 2014 Champion 2-Year-Old Filly Take Charge Brandi, secured outside stalking position in the one-turn mile Jerome and matched strides with pacesetter Hagler around the far turn before pulling away to a 1 1/4-length triumph over the sloppy and sealed main track. Trainer Kelly Breen said the sizable Courvoisier, who is owned by Hill 'n' Dale Equine Holdings and James Spry, will appreciate a return to two turns.

Looking to contest Courvoisier once more are Jerome second, third, fourth and sixth-place finishers Smarten Up, Cooke Creek, Unbridled Bomber and Mr Jefferson.

Among the fresh faces is Klaravich Stables' Early Voting, who will see added ground following a triumphant career debut going a one-turn mile on December 18 at Aqueduct. Early Voting was forwardly placed from the outside down the backstretch and opened up in the stretch before fending off a late rally by Matt Doyle to win by 1 1/2 lengths as the heavy favorite.

Withers Entries

5:10 p.m. – G3 Holy Bull Stakes at Gulfstream

Donegal Racing's Mo Donegal is poised to make his 2022 debut in the $250,000 Holy Bull (G3) Saturday at Gulfstream Park, and his Hall of Fame trainer, Todd Pletcher, has opted for no soft spot for the son of Uncle Mo's highly anticipated return to action.

Although Mo Donegal, 3-1 on the morning line, will be put to the test in a field that includes two Grade 1 stakes-placed opponents, the Pletcher-trained colt has already passed the most rigorous test for all Triple Crown prospects – the two-turn test over 1 1/8-miles. The $250,000 purchase at the 2020 Keeneland September yearling sale enters the Holy Bull off a gutsy triumph in the 1 1/8-mile Remsen Stakes (G2) at Aqueduct Dec. 4.

Phoenix Thoroughbreds LTD's Tiz the Bomb rode a three-race winning streak into the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf, where he dropped back to 12^th while in traffic before rallying strongly to finish second behind Modern Games.

Giant Game made a four-wide move into contention in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile before settling for third in his stakes debut. The son of Giants Causeway, who will be ridden by Luis Saez for the first time Saturday, had previously finished third in the debut before graduating by three lengths at Keeneland in his two-turn debut.

Tami Bobo's Simplification, who won the Mucho Macho Man by four lengths in front-running style, is expected to set or attend the early pace while stretching out around two turns for the first time. The long-striding son of Not This Time broke his maiden at Gulfstream by 16 ¾ lengths at six furlongs in his second career start. He came back to finish a troubled third again at six-furlongs before impressively stretching out to a mile in the Mucho Macho Man.

Holy Bull Entries

6:06 p.m. – G2 Santa Monica Stakes at Santa Anita

Fresh off the biggest win of her career, the Bo Hirsch homebred Ce Ce heads a field of five older fillies and mares going seven furlongs in Saturday's Grade 2, $200,000 Santa Monica Stakes at Santa Anita.

A handy 2 ½ length winner of the G1 Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint going seven panels at Del Mar Nov. 6, Ce Ce will be bidding for her third consecutive graded stakes win in what will be her first start at age six on Saturday.

Bob Baffert will be represented by a pair of distaffers, recent Grade 1 winner Kalypso and Merneith, who ran a big second in the ungraded Kalookan Queen at 6 ½ furlongs Jan. 2 following a nearly one year absence. A winner of last year's Santa Monica, Merneith, a 5-year-old mare by American Pharoah, will be ridden for the third consecutive time by Edwin Maldonado, who was aboard for last year's Santa Monica score.

Hronis Racing's Park Avenue, who had a two-game winning streak snapped when a well beaten second in the G3 La Canada Stakes going a mile and one sixteenth on Jan. 1, will shorten up out of five consecutive routes in what will be her second stakes engagement.

Santa Monica Entries

7:10 p.m. – G2 San Pasqual at Santa Anita

In what shapes up as an important prep to the Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap on March 5, C R K Stable's Express Train heads a field of six older horses going a mile and one eighth in Saturday's Grade 2, $200,000 San Pasqual Stakes at Santa Anita.

A game nose winner over A-List sophomore Hot Rod Charlie in the G2 San Antonio Stakes going a mile and one sixteenth on Dec. 26, Express Train is the defending champ in the San Pasqual and he'll be seeking his fourth graded stakes win on Saturday.

A newly turned 4-year-old, Twin Creeks Racing Stables' Law Professor prevailed in a protracted stretch battle with Grade 1 winner Beyond Brilliant to take the G2 Santa Anita Mathis Mile by a half length on Dec. 26 and he has the look of a “now horse” as he bids for his third consecutive victory.

With John Velazquez riding him back, Bob Baffert's Eight Rings, who went to the front in the opening day San Antonio and nearly dead heated with Hot Rod Charlie for the place while beaten a half length by Express Train, rates a big chance in what will be his 14th career start. A Grade 1 winner here at two, Eight Rings is a 5-year-old horse by Empire Maker seeking his second graded stakes win and his fourth overall.

In a dominant gate to wire performance, trainer George Papaprodromou's American Theorem took a second condition allowance at a mile an one sixteenth by 2 ¼ lengths over Shooter's Shoot on Jan 2 and was flattered by the fact the runner-up came back to post a big second here in Saturday's G3 Palos Verdes Stakes.

San Pasqual Entries

Sunday

7:12 p.m. – G3 Robert B. Lewis Stakes at Santa Anita

Second at 1-2 in his most recent stakes assignment, Messier will be out to make amends and stamp himself an “A-List” Derby hopeful as he heads a field of five sophomores going 1 1/16 miles in Sunday's Grade 3, $200,000 Robert B. Lewis Stakes at Santa Anita.

An important prep on the road to both the Santa Anita and Kentucky Derbies, the Lewis will provide the winner with 10 Kentucky Derby qualifying points and the second, third and fourth place finishers with four, two and one point respectively. However, the Bob Baffert-trained colt is not eligible for those points due to Churchill Downs' ban of the Hall of Fame trainer.

Messier's primary rival certainly appears to be the Simon Callaghan-trained Sir London, who crushed four rivals in breaking his maiden by 10 lengths as the 1-5 favorite on Dec. 4 at Los Alamitos. Second in a pair of maiden sprints on Oct. 3 at Santa Anita and Nov. 13 at Del Mar, Sir London led every step of the way in breaking his maiden at a flat mile Dec. 4 and seems very well spotted in Saturday's Lewis as he retains the services of Flavien Prat.

Lewis Entries

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Ginger Brew Placegetters Rematch in Sweetest Chant

Ginger Brew S. placegetters Ocean Safari (Temple City) and Opalina (Optimizer) face off yet again in the GIII Sweetest Chant S. Saturday at Gulfstream Park.

Owned by Soldi Stable and Ohana Racing, Ocean Safari looked home free in the stretch after coming in four wide, but was out-kicked late by Alittleloveandluck (Arrogate) to miss by a half- length in the Ginger Brew Jan. 1. She graduated at second asking in a local turf test in September and was third next out in an optional claimer on the synthetic in October.

Romping by 12 lengths to earn her diploma at third asking in a state-bred event over a yielding course here in September, Opalina rallied from well back to be fifth in Keeneland's GII Jessamine S. Oct. 13 and completed the trifecta in the Ginger Brew.

“She was kind of too anxious, a little too nervous in the receiving barn,” trainer Roderick Rodriguez said of the filly's last effort. “That was the first time she did that and I think that's what did her in. She was a little flat at the end, but she ran OK. The main thing is, she came out of it good and is doing very good. I think she'll be fitter this time.”

Ambitieuse (Medaglia d'Oro) closed well to be third first-out Nov. 19 on a firm Aqueduct turf course. Graduating on Gulfstream Park's all-weather track Dec. 29 at 8 1/2 furlongs, the Graham Motion trainee will make her 2022 bow in this first stakes try.

“She's a horse that we've always liked. We wanted to get her going earlier than we did, but she broke her jaw and it took time to get over that. It was a freak thing, and she's perfect now,” Motion said. “I thought her first race was good and then she ran another good race on the Tapeta to break her maiden. She's had a bit of time since then and we're excited to get her going.”

Breaking from the rail, Nostalgic (Medaglia d'Oro) stormed home to a 7 3/4-length graduation in her career bow on the dirt at Belmont Oct. 22 and was last seen finishing fourth in the GII Demoiselle S. Dec. 4 on the main track at Aqueduct. Trained by Bill Mott, who won last year's Sweetest Chant, the Godolphin homebred will be making her first start on turf in this contest.

The post Ginger Brew Placegetters Rematch in Sweetest Chant appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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