Gulfstream Park: Betting superfectas in the Holy Bull

Looking for a great race to bet Saturday? You should check out the $200,000 Holy Bull (G3) at Gulfstream Park.

The 1 1/16-mile race serves as Road to the Kentucky Derby prep race and will award qualification points to the top four finishers on a 10-4-2-1 basis. Nine talented 3-year-olds have been entered, which sets the stage for lucrative payoffs in exotic wagers.

Let’s tackle the superfecta on a $30 budget. We’ll begin by separating the key contenders into four categories, which will guide the construction of our wagers.

Top choice

#7 Greatest Honour has lost three of his four starts, but he has never missed the trifecta and has competed against tough competition, including recent Smarty Jones S. winner Caddo River.

Greatest Honour was particularly sharp in a 1 1/16-mile maiden race at Gulfstream last month, when he overcame a rough trip to rally wide and win by 1 1/2 lengths. This effort produced a 97 Brisnet Speed rating (tied for the highest in the Holy Bull field) and a 110 Brisnet Late Pace rating, which stamps the stoutly bred son of Tapit as a formidable win contender.

Second choice

#6 Prime Factor was a flashy debut winner at Gulfstream last month, when he crushed a 6-furlong maiden race by 8 3/4 lengths. The Todd Pletcher-trained colt ran fast, posted a 94 Brisnet Speed rating, and he has trained sharply for his stakes debut.

But since the Holy Bull was lengthened to 1 1/16 miles in 2013, only one winner has prevailed without previously contesting a route race. Prime Factor clearly has talent, but the step up in class and distance are major obstacles for the $900,000 yearling to overcome.

Exotic contenders

#3 Papetu hasn’t missed the exacta in three starts at Gulfstream Park, and most recently rallied to finish second in the 1-mile Mucho Macho Man S. The gutsy effort produced a 97 Brisnet Speed rating, and Papetu has the tactical speed to be a factor from the outset Saturday.

#9 Awesome Gerry arguably ran as well or better than Papetu in the Mucho Macho Man, when he carved out a fast pace and finished third.

He’ll be dangerous on the front end again in the Holy Bull, though he will encounter several pace rivals and seems unlikely to shake loose on an uncontested lead from his outside draw.

Fringe contenders

#4 Amount dominated his debut sprinting 7 furlongs at Gulfstream Park and won by 5 3/4 lengths. The Pletcher trainee will need improvement from a Brisnet Speed rating perspective to crack the top four, but at least his pedigree (he is by Curlin, out of a Pulpit mare) suggests he’ll relish races around two turns.

#5 Tarantino has shown promise in three starts on grass. He placed second by a nose in the Zuma Beach S., then won a 1-mile allowance over the Gulfstream turf course.

As a son of Pioneerof the Nile, out of a Seeking the Gold mare, Tarantino is bred to handle dirt and can outrun expectations for trainer Rodolphe Brisset, who has gone 3-2-1 in seven starts at Gulfstream this winter.

The tickets

$2 superfecta: 7 with 3,6,9 with 3,6,9 with 3,6,9 ($12)
$1 superfecta: 7 with 6 with 3,9 with 3,4,5,9 ($6)
$1 superfecta: 7 with 3,9 with 6 with 3,4,5,9 ($6)
$1 superfecta: 7 with 6 with 3,4,5,9 with 3,9 ($6)
Total: $30

Good luck!