The Holy Bull Stakes is a Grade III American Thoroughbred horse race for three year old horses run over the distance of one and one-sixteenth miles on the dirt, held annually in January at Gulfstream Park, Hallandale Beach, Florida. The event currently carries a purse of $275,000.

History

The event was inaugurated on 7 April 1990 as the Preview Stakes over a distance of miles, and it was created as a replacement for the Flamingo Stakes that ceased to exist following the closure of Hialeah Park Race Track. The event was held three weeks after the Florida Derby and the winner Home At Last did not run in any of the Triple Crown Races.

In 1991 the distance was decreased to miles and in 1992 the event was rescheduled to early February thus becoming a preparatory race for the Florida Derby.

In 1995 the Preview Stakes was upgraded to a Grade III. That same year Gulfstream Park scheduled an event in March in honor of U.S. Racing Hall of Fame horse Holy Bull who had won the Florida Derby in 1994.

The following year in 1996, Gulfstream Park replaced the Preview Stakes with the Holy Bull Stakes which assumed the classification of the event.

In 2008 the event was scheduled in April after the Florida Derby and run over a distance of miles.

The event was upgraded to Grade II in 2014 and held this status until 2019. The event was degraded to Grade III for 2020.

The event has produced Classic winners. The 1994 winner Go for Gin won the Kentucky Derby. In 2006 Barbaro won the event for his fourth straight win continuing on to win the Florida Derby and the Kentucky Derby. In 2020 Tiz the Law also won the Florida Derby continuing on to win the Belmont Stakes when it was held in late June and was the first event in the Triple Crown series which was rescheduled due to COVID-19 pandemic.

The event is part of the Road to the Kentucky Derby with qualification points given to the first five placegetters.

Records Speed record: miles – 1:41.62 Go for Gin (1994) 1 mile – 1:35.19 Dialed In (2011) miles – 1:49.31 Barbaro (2006)

Margins: 8 lengths – Suave Prospect (1995)

Most wins by a trainer: 3 – Nick Zito (1994, 1995, 2011) 3 – Kiaran McLaughlin (2005, 2014, 2016) 3 – Todd A. Pletcher (2012, 2018, 2026)

Most wins by a jockey: 5 – Jerry D. Bailey (1990, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1998)

Most wins by an owner: 2 – William J. Condren (1994, 1995) 2 – Paul Braverman (2014, 2019)

Winners Year Winner Jockey Trainer Owner Distance Time Purse Grade RefHoly Bull Stakes2026Nearly John R. VelazquezTodd A. PletcherCentennial Farms miles1:44.52 $267,500III 2025Burnham SquareEdgard ZayasIan WilkesWhitham Thoroughbreds miles1:43.60$250,000III 2024HadesPaco Lopez Joseph Orseno D. J. Stable & Robert Cotran miles1:46.07$260,000III 2023Rocket CanJunior AlvaradoWilliam I. MottFrank Fletcher Racing Operations miles1:44.97$250,000III2022White AbarrioTyler GaffalioneSaffie A. Joseph Jr.C2 Racing Stable & La Milagrosa Stable miles1:42.80$250,000III 2021Greatest Honour Jose L. OrtizCourtlandt Farms miles1:43.19$200,000III2020Tiz the LawManuel FrancoBarclay TaggSackatoga Stable miles1:42.04$250,000III2019Brian Hernandez Jr.Kenneth G. McPeekHarold Lerner, AWC Stables, Nehoc Stables, Scott Akman & Paul Braverman miles1:43.69$350,000II2018AudibleJavier CastellanoTodd A. PletcherWinStar Farm, China Horse Club & SF Racing miles1.41.92$350,000II2017Irish War CryJoel RosarioH. Graham MotionIsabelle de Tomaso miles1:42.52$350,000II2016MohaymenJunior AlvaradoKiaran P. McLaughlinShadwell Stables miles1:42.07$350,000II2015UpstartJose L. OrtizRalph M. Evans miles1:43.61$400,000II2014Cairo PrinceLuis SaezNamcook Stables, Paul Braverman, Harvey A. Clarke & Craig W. Robertson III miles1:42.16$400,000II2013ItsmyluckydayElvis TrujilloEdward Plesa Jr.Trilogy Stable & Laurie Plesa miles1:41.81$400,000III2012AlgorithmsJavier CastellanoTodd A. PletcherStarlight Racing1 mile1:36.17$400,000III2011Dialed InJulien R. LeparouxNicholas P. ZitoRobert V. LaPenta1 mile1:35.19$400,000III2010 Winslow HomerAnthony W. DutrowFox Hill Farms1 mile1:35.97$150,000III2009Saratoga SinnerJulien R. LeparouxEddie KenneallyLally Stable miles1:51.45$150,000III2008Hey ByrnCharles C. LopezEdward Plesa Jr.Beatrice Oxenberg miles1:58.14$150,000III2007 Nobiz Like ShobizCornelio VelasquezBarclay TaggElizabeth J. Valando1 mile1:35.47$150,000III2006 BarbaroEdgar S. PradoMichael R. MatzLael Stables miles1:49.31$150,000III2005 Closing ArgumentCornelio VelasquezKiaran P. McLaughlinPhilip & Marcia Cohen miles1:50.14$150,000III2004Second of JuneCornelio VelasquezWilliam J. CesareBarbara Cesare miles1:43.00$100,000III2003Offlee WildMark GuidryThomas Victor SmithAzalea Stables miles1:43.00$100,000III2002BookletEibar CoaJohn T. Ward Jr.John C. Oxley miles1:46.16$100,000III2001Radical RileyEduardo O. NunezJames HatchettJacks or Better Farm miles1:46.06$100,000III2000Hal's HopeRoger I. VelezHarold J. RoseHarold J. Rose Trust miles1:44.52$100,000III1999Grits'n Hard ToastRobbie DavisThomas Victor SmithThomas Victor Smith & Robert A. Anderson miles1:45.32$100,000III1998Cape TownJerry D. BaileyD. Wayne LukasOverbrook Farm miles1:44.15$100,000III1997Arthur L.John R. VelazquezLuis OlivaresCobble View Stable miles1:42.93$100,000III1996Cobra KingChris McCarronMike PuypeBetty Biszantz miles1:43.42$75,000III1995Royal MitchRobbie DavisDennis W. EbertCrown Stable miles1:44.03$50,000 Preview Stakes1995Suave ProspectJerry D. BaileyNicholas P. ZitoWilliam J. Condren & Michael H. Sherman miles1:44.03$75,000III1994Go for GinJerry D. BaileyNicholas P. ZitoWilliam J. Condren & Joseph Cornacchia miles1:41.62$75,000 Listed 1993Pride of BurkaanJerry D. BaileyLeo Azpurua Jr.R. Johnson & G. Murchison miles1:44.74$75,000Listed 1992Waki WarriorEarlie FiresWilliam G. HuffmanStanley Lowenbraun miles1:44.32$130,430 Listed 1991Shoot to KillWigberto S. RamosLinda L. RiceClyde D. Rice miles1:43.54$200,000 Listed 1990Home At LastJerry D. BaileyCarl A. NafzgerRussell L Reineman Stable miles1:53.20$233,600

See also List of American and Canadian Graded races

External links 2020–21 Gulfstream Park Media Guide

References