The Holy Bull Stakes (Grade 2) (KYD)- $350.000 Purse
GP- For Three Year Olds
One Mile and One Sixteenth on the Dirt
February 3, 2018

It was a good day today for Mb Stables in the prep races across the country. In the Lewis Stakes out at SA, he saddled the runner up, Worst Case Scenario, and that was the worst case scenario of the three main prep races. He would win the Withers in emphatic fashion with Dream Controlled and have the runner up as well. Down in Florida, things were no different. In the Holy Bull, Blindfold topped a field that featured the reigning BC Juvenile champion, Gumshoe. That one still finished second. For Mb Stables, its his second win in the stake, having done so with Decima, who was a very good racehorse in addition to becoming an amazing sire. Certainly, Mb Stables would not mind if Blindfold followed that path. The winning jockey is P Lopez, taking the race for the first time. Congratulations to them! The time of the victory was 1:41.32, the second quickest of the races held at the current distance. Let’s take a look!

(1/4 Mile- :23.34)- Gumshoe breaks alertly out of the gate and is the fastest of them all while going into the first turn, for his trainer EasyMoney Stables. He would lead by a length around that turn over Fox News of D J C Racing Stables, and it was another length to a threesome which saw the filly, Confidently In Love (Mb Stables) between Pink Cadillac (John Henry) and What Have You Done (Mb Stables). Mb Stables’ winner of the race, Blindfold, was next, while running in the fourth lane around this turn. Mistress Seeker (Aer Stables) and Neon Wolf (Smokey Stover) were close by to follow, and trailing the field were Sacred Brave (Blushing Meadows) and Mist Maker (Crocker Ggs).

(½ Mile- :46.77)- Gumshoe hits the top of the backstretch, moves to the rail and asserts himself as the leader during this portion of the race as he runs a nearly identical quarter as he did to start the race. Not much has changed behind him as Fox News is content to stalk the pace in the second position, and Confidently In Love keeps hanging out with Pink Cadillac and What Have You Done. Blindfold, however, would forego the fourth lane, a wise decision, and tuck himself in behind that three some, which results in him being between Neon Wolf and Mistress Seeker. Mist Maker and Sacred Brave continue to trail.

(Top Of Stretch, 1.5F To Go)- It’s still Gumshoe out in front. The BC Juvenile winner ran six furlongs in 1:10.35, so he still was in pretty good form despite the rest of the field beginning to close in on him. He would just have to show that BC champion form in the stretch. Fox News looked to the outside for the lead, and What Have You Done began to come on strong on the outside, and for a moment it looked like this would end up being Mb’s best threat. Confidently In Love was running just fine, but didn’t seem to have the lane she needed. Further back in the back, Blindfold and Neon Wolf both looked to the move down to the outside of What Have You Done to make their own runs. Being a very courteous and polite racehorse, Neon Wolf made sure that he moved down enough so that Blindfold would have a clear lane to his own. Mistress Seeker was not extended the same courtesy. Pink Cadillac was beginning to stall out as Mist Maker and Sacred Brave remained at the back and not showing much.

(Finish- 1:41.32)- Blindfold explodes at the top of the stretch, and with a nice clear lane in front of him, he takes the lead rather easily. What became even more impressive here, though, was the way he continued to pour it on and pull away from this field, more and more. If that continues, then we certainly have ourselves an excellent TC contender, but there is still a few months to go. Certainly, don’t be blind to him and his potential. Gumshoe was trying to hold on to second, and was desperately clinging to the spot in the final strides, and somehow held on to it. A little more distance, though, and he’s probably fifth. Confidently In Love ends up third after running very well in the stretch herself. It was a solid effort against the males, but we’ll see if she continues trying this, or she heads on a path towards the KYO. Fox News nipped Neon Wolf for the fourth place check. Sacred Brave gets up for sixth, just ahead of What Have You Done, who was disappointing in the stretch. Mistress Seeker and Mist Maker go eighth and ninth, with neither impressing here. Pink Cadillac stuttered home last.

About The Winner: Blindfold, trained by Mb Stables and ridden by P Lopez is a three year old colt by Engine Failure, and is out of Breeze On By. He was bred in Ontario as a third quarter two year old by Mb Stables, the only trainer for which he has ever known! Congratulations to the connections! The win makes him three for four in his career, and it is his first stake win. His career earnings are now $252.020.

Track: Fast
Time: :23¹  :46³  1:10¹  1:41¹

$2 Mutuel Prices:

$1 Exacta: 7 – 9 Paid 97.30
$1 Trifecta: 7 – 9 – 2 Paid 215.40

Scratched: Living Healthy

— NS

Categories: Grade II, STAKES ARTICLES