Holy Bull Stakes

Cairo Prince drills another bullet ahead of Holy Bull

Everything remains on target for Nashua winner Cairo Prince, who is scheduled to make his three-year-old debut in the Grade 2, $400,000 Holy Bull at Gulfstream Park on January 25.

Working in company with four-year-old Shadwell-owned colt Qeyaas, the gray son of Pioneerof the Nile breezed five furlongs in :59 4/5 on Sunday morning at Palm Meadows. Cairo Prince posted the fastest of 29 moves at the distance on the fast main track, and easily surpassed his workmate's time of 1:00 4/5.

It was the fourth work for Cairo Prince since coming to South Florida following his runner-up finish to Honor Code in the Remsen at Aqueduct on November 30, and nearly identical to his breeze one week ago. Last Sunday, he fired a bullet :59 3/5.

"I wasn't looking for :59-and-4 again, but he's just doing great," said Kiaran McLaughlin, who trains Cairo Prince for Namcook Stables, Paul Braverman, Harvey Clarke and Craig Robertson III.

"He had company, but he hooked into a horse that was in front of him a little bit. It kind of made him work a little faster than we needed, but he's doing that well. No worries, no negatives; he worked great."

McLaughlin said he will give Cairo Prince one more work leading into the Holy Bull, which is run at 1 1/16 miles and is the first in a series of preps for the Grade 1, $1 million Florida Derby on March 30.

"We'll work again next Saturday or Sunday, a half-mile probably on his own now, hopefully in something like :49," McLaughlin said. "When you ask a horse to go a little slower and they end up going fast, that's a good sign that he's doing extremely well. He's happy, and we're happy."

McLaughlin picked up a pair of wins on Saturday's card at Gulfstream, with four-year-old Elnaawi in the 7TH race, a 1 1/16-mile optional claiming allowance on dirt, and three-year-old filly Macaroon in the 8TH, a 7 1/2-furlong turf sprint.

 

Holy Bull Stakes Race Information

 

Location:Gulfstream Park, Hallandale Beach, Florida
Inaugurated: 1972
Race type: Thoroughbred - Flat racing
Distance: 1 mile (8 furlongs)
Track: Dirt, left-handed
Qualification: Three-year-olds
Weight: Assigned
Purse: $400,000
Grade: II

Race Type: Kentucky Derby Prep Race

Road to the Roses Points: 1st=10 points; 2nd=4 points; 3rd=2 points; 4th=1 point

 

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Holy Bull Stakes Past Winners

Year Winner Jockey Trainer Time
2018 Audible Javier Castellano Todd Pletcher 1.41.92
2017 Irish War Cry Joel Rosario H. Graham Motion 1:42.52
2016 Mohaymen Junior Alvarado Kiaran McLaughlin 1:42.07
2015 Upstart Jose L. Ortiz Richard A. Violette Jr. 1:43.61
2014 Cairo Prince Luis Saez Kiaran McLaughlin 1:42.16
2013 Itsmyluckyday Elvis Trujillo Eddie Plesa Jr. 1:41.81
2012 Algorithms Javier Castellano Todd Pletcher 1:36.17
2011 Dialed In Julien Leparoux Nick Zito 1:35.19
2010 Winslow Homer Ramón Domínguez Tony Dutrow 1:35.97
2009 Saratoga Sinner Julien Leparoux Eddie Kenneally 1:51.45
2008 Hey Byrn Chuck Lopez Edward Plesa, Jr. 1:58.14
2007 Nobiz Like Shobiz Cornelio Velásquez Barclay Tagg 1:35.47
2006 Barbaro Edgar Prado Michael R. Matz 1:49.31
2005 Closing Argument Cornelio Velásquez Kiaran McLaughlin 1:50.14
2004 Second Of June Cornelio Velásquez William J. Cesare 1:43.00
2003 Offlee Wild Mark Guidry Richard Dutrow, Jr. 1:43.00
2002 Booklet Eibar Coa John T. Ward, Jr. 1:46.16
2001 Radical Riley Eduardo Núñez James Hatchett 1:46.06
2000 Hal's Hope Roger Velez Harold Rose 1:44.52
1999 Grits'n Hard Toast Robbie Davis T.V. Smith 1:45.32
1998 Cape Town Jerry D. Bailey D. Wayne Lukas 1:44.15
1997 Arthur L. John R. Velazquez Luis Olivares 1:42.93
1996 Cobra King Chris McCarron Mike Puype 1:43.42
1995 Suave Prospect Jerry D. Bailey Nick Zito 1:44.03
1994 Go for Gin Jerry D. Bailey Nick Zito 1:41.62
1993 Pride of Burkaan Jerry D. Bailey Leo Azpurua 1:44.74
1992 Waki Warrior Earlie Fires William G. Huffman 1:44.32
1991 Shoot To Kill Wigberto S. Ramos Linda L. Rice 1:43.54
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