Remsen Winner Mo Donegal Gets Sophomore Season Under Way In Holy Bull

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.

The 33rd running of the Holy Bull, the first graded-stakes on the Road to the Florida Derby (G1), headlines a 12-race program that will also feature the $100,000 Claiborne Swale (G3), $100,000 Forward Gal (G3), $100,000 Kitten's Joy (G3) and $100,000 Sweetest Chant (G3).

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.

“We were pretty focused on the Remsen right after he broke his maiden. We locked in on that and after the race I got with [Donegal Racing's] Jerry Crawford, and we talked about how we could go about getting on the Derby trail. We decided that the Holy Bull was the right starting point,” said Pletcher, who saddled Audible (2019) and Algorithms (2012) for Holy Bull victors. “It gives us plenty of options. If he were to run well, we still have the (March 4) Fountain of Youth to come back in if we wanted to or we could train up to the Florida Derby like we did with Audible. We kind of felt like it put us in a position to have the most options.”

Mo Donegal finished third in his Sept. 30 debut at Belmont, in which he broke slowly and was subsequently steadied in traffic. He came right back to graduate at 1 1/16 miles despite breaking a step slowly a month later. In the Remsen, Mo Donegal encountered bumping at the start, moved to the lead heading into the stretch, and battled with Zandon to the wire to eke out a triumph by a nose.

“I'm really pleased with his training since he came here after the Remsen. We targeted this right away and, knock on wood, thankfully everything has gone according to schedule,” Pletcher said. “He has not missed a beat since he's been here.”

Mo Donegal's Pletcher-trained sire, who captured the 2010 Breeders' Cup Juvenile, was 1-for-1 at Gulfstream, where he dominated the Timely Writer Stakes in his 3-year-old debut in March 2011. He takes after Uncle Mo in the looks department.

“Uncle Mo stamps his offspring probably more so than any stallion in the country. He looks like a lot of them do. He's got the same build. He's a good-sized colt,” Pletcher said. “He's had a bit of a growth spurt and he's done what you'd like to see 2-year-olds turning 3 and young 3-year-olds this time of year do, growing and physically developing.”

Irad Ortiz Jr. has the return mount aboard Mo Donegal, whose opponents will include Kenny McPeek-trained Tiz the Bomb, runner-up in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G1) at Del Mar, and Dale Romans-trained Giant Game, third-place finisher in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1.

Phoenix Thoroughbreds LTD's Tiz the Bomb rode a three-race winning streak into the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf that started with a dazzling front-running maiden score by 14 ½ lengths in an off-the-turf second-out maiden race at Ellis Park July 2. The son of 2016 Breeders' Cup Juvenile turf winner Hit It a Bomb went on to capture the Kentucky Downs Juvenile Mile and the Bourbon (G2) at Keeneland from off the pace on turf.

“There are limited opportunities for 3-year-old grass horses in North America. He's a really talented horse and we don't want to lock him in as strictly a grass horse. There's no sense pigeonholing him as a grass horse,” McPeek said. “Even last year we could have made a case for keeping him on dirt, but I chose to keep him separated from some of my other colts. At this stage, we're going to give him the opportunity to play on the dirt.”

Tiz the Bomb dropped back to 12th while in traffic in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf before rallying strongly to finish second behind Modern Games.

“I thought it was somewhat of an unlucky trip, but he still ran well. It was a respectable run. He ran a good race; he split horses and came flying late. The other horse got a little bit of a jump on him,” said McPeek, who saddled Harvey Wallbanger for a 29-1 upset victory in the 2019 Holy Bull.

Regular rider Brian Hernandez Jr. is scheduled to travel from Fair Grounds for the Holy Bull.

Albaugh Family Stables LLC and West Point Thoroughbreds' 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.

C2 Racing Stable LLC and La Milagrosa Stable LLC's White Abarrio enters the Holy Bull off a third-place finish behind McPeek-trained Smile Happy and Brian Lynch-trained Classic Causeway in the Nov. 27 Kentucky Jockey Club (G2) at Churchill Downs.

“He's coming out of a strong prep that Smile Happy won, and he's the Derby favorite right now. The [trainer Keith] Desormeaux horse [Call Me Midnight] that was behind him came back to win the prep at Fair Grounds [G3 Lecomte] the other day, so it's a race that's produced some good form so far,” trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. said. “He's going to face good horses again this time. This is going to be one of the best preps so far on the Derby trail competition-wise, so he's going to need to improve, but we feel like he's eligible to improve.”

White Abarrio was purchased privately after romping to a 6 ¾-length victory in his Sept.  24 debut at Gulfstream, where the son of Race Day came right back to score a five-length optional claiming allowance victory over Strike Hard, who went on to finish second in the Jan. 1 Mucho Macho Man at Gulfstream.

“He's doing well. He missed some time. He got a little sick, so he missed some days, but he was plenty fit before that,” Joseph said. “I think he goes in there with a good chance.”

Tyler Gaffalione is scheduled to ride White Abarrio for the first time in the Holy Bull.

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 longer the race, the better is it for my horse,” trainer Antonio Sano said.

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.

Hall of Famer Javier Castellano has the call on Simplification.

OXO Equine LLC's Galt, who broke his maiden by three lengths while trying two turns for the first time at Gulfstream, Cash is King LLC and LC Racing LLC's Eloquist, who finished fifth in the Remsen; Stonehedge LLC's Cajun's Magic, a strong force in the Florida Sire Stakes series last year; and BBN Racing LLC's Spin Wheel, a maiden winner at Churchill Downs last time out; are also entered in the Holy Bull.

Post/Horse/Jockey/Trainer/Morning Line Odds

1-Galt-Alvarado-Mott 15-1
2-Mo Donegal-I. Ortiz-Pletcher 5-2
3-Eloquist-Pennington-Reid 20-1
4-Simplefication-Castellano-Sano 4-1
5-Cajun's Magic-Rios-Yates 8-1
6-Tiz the Bomb-Hernandez-McPeek 6-1
7-Spin Wheel-Leparoux-Arnold 20-1
8-White Abarrio-Gaffalione-Joseph 6-1
9-Giant Game-Saez-Romans 7-2

Source of original post

White Abarrio Returns To Work Tab With Holy Bull As Target

C2 Racing Stable and La Milagrosa Stable's White Abarrio, sidelined earlier this month after spiking a temperature, returned to the work tab with a sharp half-mile breeze Friday at Gulfstream Park ahead of the $250,000 Holy Bull (G3) Feb. 5.

With jockey Tyler Gaffalione up, White Abarrio went four furlongs in 47.05 seconds over a fast main track, ranking first of 40 horses. It was the Race Day colt's first breeze since a five-furlong move in 1:01 Jan. 10.

“He missed some time because he had a little virus he was fighting,” trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. said. “Thankfully, today he worked super and all is on track. All being well, we'll probably go to the Holy Bull with him.”

Joseph has been pleased with the way White Abarrio has bounced back from his illness and wasn't surprised with how fast he went Saturday.

“Timing-wise, we wanted a good, strong work. He's a good horse, and he makes it look it pretty easy,” Joseph said. “We wanted a good, strong work and that's why we worked him a little further out than closer to the race.”

White Abarrio debuted with a come-from-behind 6 ¾-length maiden special weight victory Sept. 24 at Gulfstream, returning with a front-running, four-length optional claiming allowance triumph Oct. 29. White Abarrio suffered his first loss when third to Smile Happy in the Kentucky Jockey Club (G2) Nov. 27.

Smile Happy; Ken McPeek-trained stablemate Tiz the Bomb, winner of last fall's Bourbon (G2); 2021 Remsen (G2) winner Mo Donegal; Giant Game, third in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1); and Simplification, winner of Gulfstream's Mucho Macho Man Jan. 1, are all under consideration for the Holy Bull.

The 1 1/16-mile Holy Bull is the second of Gulfstream's series of 3-year-old stakes leading to the $1 million Florida Derby (G1) April 2, preceded by the one-mile Mucho Macho Man and followed by the $400,000 Fountain of Youth (G2) March 5, also at 1 1/16 miles.

“It looks like it's coming up a competitive race but we feel he's as good as anybody in there,” Joseph said. “All being well, we'll give him his chance.”

The post White Abarrio Returns To Work Tab With Holy Bull As Target appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

McPeek Duo Ready for Holy Bull

Lucky Seven Stable's Smile Happy (Run Happy) and Phoenix Thoroughbreds LTD's Tiz the Bomb (Hit It A Bomb) breezed in company at Gulfstream Saturday morning ahead of a likely encounter in the GIII Holy Bull S. Feb. 5.

GSWs Smile Happy and Tiz the Bomb were timed in :46.32 seconds, the third fastest of 83 workouts recorded at the distance Saturday.

“It was a nice maintenance work,” said trainer Kenny McPeek. “They went a little quicker than I wanted them to. I gave them instructions to go in about :48, but it's Ok. They're doing good.”

The breeze was the fourth in a series of workouts at Gulfstream for the workmates.

“I may have to run them against each other in the Holy Bull to get the year started,” McPeek said. “At this point, I'm planning to run both.”

Smile Happy won both of his career starts impressively, closing from far back to break his maiden at 1 1/16 miles at Keeneland Oct. 29 before rallying from mid-pack to capture the 1 1/16-mile GII Kentucky Jockey Club S. by 3 1/4 length at Churchill Downs Nov. 27.

Tiz the Bomb broke his maiden on dirt by 14 1/2 lengths going a mile at Ellis July 2 before taking the Kentucky Downs Juvenile S. in September and Keeneland's GII Bourbon S. Oct. 10. He concluded his 2021 season with a strong second-place finish behind Eclipse finalist Modern Games (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) in the Nov. 5 GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf at Del Mar. A minor injury forced the bay to bypass last fall's Kentucky Jockey Club.

“He's done great with his little break,” added McPeek. “He had a slight nick on his leg that we had to address with some

simple clean up and antibiotics last fall. He's back into a 3-year-old routine now. He's had a little three eights and a couple of half miles, and he's hitting on all cylinders already, so it's very exciting.”

Asked how Tiz the Bomb might fare on the dirt, McPeek affirmed, “He's not going to have any trouble handling dirt. He's out of a Tiz Now mare and his top line is War Front and they handle dirt fine. I think this horse can run on any surface and he handled the dirt for his maiden win. I think the question is, really, how good can he be on the dirt, too?”

He continued, “The Holy Bull looks like an ideal starting point for him. We need to get some points and ideally, he'd then come back in the [GII] Fountain of Youth [S. Mar. 5]. The dream scenario would be he'd go Holy Bull, Fountain Of Youth then the [GI] Florida Derby [Apr. 2], but we'll see.”

The post McPeek Duo Ready for Holy Bull appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Workmates Smile Happy, Tiz The Bomb Both Aimed At Holy Bull

Lucky Seven Stable's Smile Happy and Phoenix Thoroughbreds LTD's Tiz the Bomb breezed sharply in company at Gulfstream Park Saturday morning for a likely clash Feb. 5 in the $200,000 Holy Bull (G3) Feb. 5.

Smile Happy, the undefeated winner of the Kentucky Jockey Club (G2), and Tiz the Bomb, a graded-stakes winner who finished second the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G1) last time out, were timed in 46.32 seconds, the third fastest clockings of 83 workouts recorded at the distance.

“It was a nice maintenance work. They went a little quicker than I wanted them to. I gave them instructions to go in about 48,” trainer Kenny McPeek said. “But it's okay. They're doing good.”

The breeze was the fourth in a series of workouts at Gulfstream for the workmates.

“You need a fast horse to go with a fast horse,” McPeek said. “You can't work a fast horse with a slow horse.”

While Smile Happy and Tiz the Bomb have teamed in their workouts, they may well become rivals in the Holy Bull, the first graded-stakes for 3-year-olds on the Road to the Curlin Florida Derby (G1).

“I may have to run them against each other in the Holy Bull to get the year started,” McPeek said. “At this point, I'm planning to run both.”

Smile Happy, a son of Runhappy, has won both of his career starts in going-away style, closing from far back to break his maiden at 1 1/16 miles Oct. 29 at Keeneland before rallying from mid-pack to capture the 1 1/16-mile Kentucky Jockey Club by 3 ¼ length at Churchill Downs Nov. 27.

Tiz the Bomb broke his maiden on dirt by 14 ½ lengths in a mile race at Ellis Park in his second career start July 2 before going on to win the Kentucky Downs Juvenile and Bourbon (G2) at Keeneland on turf. The son of Hit It A Bomb concluded his 2021 season with a late-surging second-place finish in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G1) at Del Mar.

The post Workmates Smile Happy, Tiz The Bomb Both Aimed At Holy Bull appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Verified by MonsterInsights