Tipsheet: 2023 Holy Bull Stakes

An octet of three-year-olds will travel 1 1/16 miles on the Gulfstream Park dirt in Saturday’s $250,000 Holy Bull S. (G3). The 2023 Road to the Kentucky Derby challenge series event will reward the top-five finishers with points on a 20-8-6-4-2 structure.

Holy Bull Stakes Picks

• #4 Cyclone Mischief
• #3 Shadow Dragon
• #6 Legacy Isle
• #5 Mr Bob

Holy Bull Stakes Wagers

• $30 win: #4 Cyclone Mischief
• $5 trifecta: key 4 with 3, 5, 6
• $1 superfecta: 3, 4 with 3, 4 with 5, 6 with all

Holy Bull Stakes Contenders

#1 LORD MILES: A dominant debut winner on the oval prior to rallying for a close third-place result in the Mucho Macho Man S. here on Jan. 1. The Vegso Racing Stable homebred will wear blinkers for the first time in the contest, and he seems perfectly placed on the rail to save ground and make one run in the lane. Irad Ortiz Jr. picks up the mount atop the son of Curlin.

#2 WEST COAST COWBOY: Led throughout at first asking prior to running an even fourth in a recent allowance tilt for Saffie Joseph. The $170,000 son of West Coast is bred for the distance and could peak while making his third lifetime appearance following a nice string of morning drills as of late. The colt will have Edgard Zayas in the stirrups.

#3 SHADOW DRAGON: Makes his graded stakes debut for Bill Mott. A fantastic debut victor sprinting at Aqueduct in September, the son of young sire Army Mule showed little in the subsequent Sleepy Hollow S., but he has trained well since that subpar effort and I expect a major move forward on this occasion. The deep closing type picks up Jose Ortiz.

#4 CYCLONE MISCHIEF: The one to beat following a superb allowance score on the oval in his latest venture for conditioner Dale Romans. The $450,000 son of Into Mischief has very good early presence but rallied from a bit off the pace last time out, and he will be impossible to keep off the board with a repeat of his latest showing. The talented colt will have Tyler Gaffalione in the stirrups once again.

#5 MR BOB: Broke slowest of all and endured a tough trip when rallying to be fifth in the Mucho Macho Man S. most recently. The Practical Joke colt has run a trio of good ones since being claimed out of his debut by Robert Falcone, and he will be equipped with blinkers for the first time on Saturday. Joel Rosario will guide the interesting longshot.

#6 LEGACY ISLE: Finished first but was ultimately placed second in the Mucho Macho Man. Trained by Rohan Crichton, he won his first two races in facile fashion and is an obvious win threat right back with another move forward. The Shackleford colt has improved his Speed figure in each career attempt, and Luis Saez inherits the ride.

#7 IL MIRACOLO: Graduated on the course three prior but has been unplaced in a pair of outings since for Antonio Sano. The chestnut son of Gun Runner is very familiar with the surface and can rally for a minor award with his best effort beneath Leo Reyes. 

#8 ROCKET CAN: The second from the Mott shedrow and has shown marked improvement since stretching out to two turns as of late. The gray son of Into Mischief broke through beneath the Twin Spires two back, prior to finishing a solid runner-up in an allowance effort at Churchill Downs last time out. He has trained well leading up to Saturday and will have Junior Alvarado in the silks.