The street to the 2026 Kentucky Derby Introduced by Woodford Reserve at Gulfstream Park begins this Saturday with the G3 Holy Bull Stakes. The race awards 20 qualifying factors to the winner, with the highest three-year-olds competing to build up factors and earn a spot within the beginning gate for the Derby.
The race, which began because the Preview Stakes in 1990, was renamed in 1996 after the 1994 horse of the 12 months, Holy Bull. It has been held at varied distances, however since 2013 it has settled on its present distance of 1 1/16 miles. The race was first run as a Grade 3 in 1996.
Right here, I would really like to have a look again on the promising horses that received the Holy Bull.
In Search of Jin (1994)
Profession: 19 begins – 5 wins, 7 seconds, 2/3
Profession revenue: $1,380,866
This Nick Zito coach was in nice form heading into the 1994 Preview Stakes. He received two stakes at Aqueduct that fall, together with the Remsen Stakes, and appeared like one of many early Kentucky Derby favorites. In a six-horse discipline, Go For Jin went off as a 7-10 favourite.
He received like an odds-on favourite and set the tempo to win by three and a half lengths. This win gave Jerry Bailey his third win in previews. He would go on to win 5 races.
This race was the spotlight of Goforgin’s preparation race on the Derby Path. He completed second within the G2 Fountain of Youth Stakes to the profitable 2-year-old colt Dehere, fourth within the G1 Florida Derby behind none apart from Holy Bull, and second within the G1 Wooden Memorial Stakes. By the point the primary Saturday in Could arrived, Bailey had been changed by Chris McCarron and Goforgin was fifth selection within the 14-horse Derby at 9.10-1.
Those that stored their religion had been rewarded as Go For Gin took management of the race from the beginning and received by two lengths. It was the second derby victory for Zito and McCarron. Goforgin went on to complete second in each the Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes.
Holy Bull was a favourite to win the 1994 Kentucky Derby, however had a poor run and completed twelfth. However he was the one who had the final chuckle. Goforgin didn’t win the remaining races, however Holy Bull received 5 consecutive graded stakes en path to the Horse of the 12 months title.
Hal’s Hope (2000)
Profession: 33 begins – 9 wins, 5 seconds, 3/3
Profession revenue: $1,098,422
Hal’s Hope appeared just like the furthest horse from Derby chance to run within the 2000 Holy Bull Stakes. His proprietor, coach and breeder, Harold Rose, was 87 years outdated and ran a modest year-round secure in South Florida. Jockey Roger Velez was in restoration from alcoholism and a stroke.
Hal’s Hope ended his two-year-old season with a win over Allowance Firm at Calder Racecourse in December, however most bettors thought of him an underdog at Holy Bull. He was an outsider at 40.20-1 in an 11-horse discipline. When Velez despatched him to the entrance and opened up a transparent lead, virtually everybody anticipated him to fade.
Because it turned out, Hal’s hopes simply stored going. He dominated the sector by 5 1/4 lengths and completed greater than 11 lengths forward of heavy favourite Greenwood Lake.
Hal’s Hope confirmed extra magic on the Derby course. He completed second to the extremely touted Wayne Lucas coach Excessive Yield within the Grade 1 Fountain of Youth Stakes. Lucas’ Excessive Yield was named equal favourite for the Grade 1 Florida Derby, whereas Hal’s Hope was the 6.90-1 fourth selection.
After an extended and tenacious battle within the stretch, Hal’s Hope turned the tables on excessive yield. He received by a head, cementing his standing as the favourite for that 12 months’s Derby.
Though he was unable to realize a Hollywood-style end within the Kentucky Derby, ending sixteenth, Hal’s Hope went on to have a satisfying profession. He received two stakes at age 4 and the Grade 1 Gulfstream Park Handicap at age 5.
Barbaro (2006)
Profession: 7 begins – 6 wins, 0 seconds, 0 thirds
Profession revenue: $2,302,200
Though Barbaro turned greatest identified for his accomplishments on the grime, he additionally began his profession with an ideal 3-for-3 document on the grass. Coach Michael Matz determined to strive the horse on the Derby course and entered Holy Bull in his first grime race.
Barbaro loved an excellent stalking journey away from Dr. Diehard setting the tempo earlier than taking over Dr. Diehard within the last flip. He took management going into the stretch, however then encountered new challenges from Flashy Bull and Nice Tune. Undeterred, he crossed the end line three-quarters of a size throughout the moist discipline.
In his subsequent begin, Barbaro received the G1 Florida Derby by a half-length in an identical outing. He gave horse racing followers the very best highs and the bottom lows in his subsequent two begins, scoring a commanding victory within the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby earlier than sustaining a severe damage within the Grade 1 Preakness Stakes. Though Barbaro fought valiantly to get well, he developed acute laminitis in July 2006 and was euthanized in January 2007. Barbaro is commemorated with a bronze statue on the essential entrance to Churchill Downs.
It’s Me Fortunate Day (2013)
Profession: 21 begins – 9 wins, 4 seconds, 2/3
Profession revenue: $1,706,350
It is My Fortunate Day had already received three stakes on the time of the 2013 Holy Bull Stakes. He entered the race having received the Gulfstream Park Derby by 6 3/4 lengths. On the power of that victory, the Eddie Presa trainee was despatched off as Holy Bull’s 4.70-1 third selection. Shanghai Bobby, who received the 2-year-old colt championship on the 2012 Eclipse Awards, was a well-liked horse on the identical worth. Nevertheless it was Itsmyluckyday. He assessed the tempo set Shanghai Bobby after which wore him down in a straight line to win by two lengths. He then completed second within the Grade 1 Florida Derby, establishing himself as a real Derby contender.
He completed fifteenth on the primary Saturday in Could, however bounced again with a 2nd place end within the Preakness Stakes. It is My Fortunate Day received 4 stakes races as a 4-year-old, together with the Grade 1 Woodward Stakes.
Tiz the Legislation (2020)
Profession: 9 begins – 6 wins, 1 2nd place, 1 third place
Profession revenue: $2,735,300
After profitable the G1 Champagne Stakes at Belmont Park in October 2019, New York-bred Tiz The Row has been named to many Kentucky Derby high 10 lists. In 2003, the proprietor/coach duo of Saccatoga Steady and Berkley Tag teamed as much as win the Kentucky Derby and Preakness with Humorous Cide. Nearly 20 years later, it appeared like there was a robust probability of profitable the Derby once more.
Tiz the Row made his 3-year-old debut with Holy Bull and was the favourite of the seven horses with a document of 13 wins and 10 losses. He lived as much as the hype, slowing all the way down to a draw and profitable by three lengths. With this victory, he avenges his loss to Humorous Cide in the identical race 17 years in the past.
Following his win at Holy Bull, Tiz the Legislation was on a tear all through the spring and summer time of 2020 because the COVID-19 pandemic reshuffled the racing calendar. He received the Grade 1 Curlin Florida Derby, the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes offered by NYRA Bets, and the Grade 1 Runhappy Travers Stakes in September for the rescheduled Kentucky Derby offered by Woodford Reserve, turning into the primary Holy Bull winner to win each the Belmont Stakes and the Travers. Within the Kentucky Derby, the preferred race since Spectacular Bid in 1980, he was eradicated at odds of 7-10, with Tiz the Row ending second behind Genuine.
White Avario (2022)
Profession: 25 begins – 10 wins, 3 seconds, 3 innings
Profession revenue: $7,713,920
White Avario confirmed his potential in his two-year-old season and commenced his profession with back-to-back wins, operating wild with a six-and-three-quarter size lead in his profession debut and main from begin to end with a four-length lead in his second begin. He capped off his younger season by ending third within the Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Membership Stakes, his first stakes try for coach Safi Joseph Jr.
By race day, the grey or roan colt had made his first begin as a 3-year-old within the Holy Bull Stakes and was authoritatively declared for the 2022 Kentucky Derby. He opened up a commanding lead within the straight line beneath new jockey Tyler Gaffalione, profitable by 4 and a half lengths at odds of 6-1.
White Avario additionally simply received the $1 million Curlin Florida Derby offered by Hill and Dale Farms at Xalapa, making him one of many favorites for the Kentucky Derby offered by Woodford Reserve. Nonetheless, on Could 7, 2022, Wealthy Strike shocked the world with odds of 80.80 to 1, whereas White Avario was not a giant issue and completed in sixteenth place.th Out of 20.
White Avario was winless in 2022, ending second within the Grade 2 Ohio Derby and third within the NYRA Betts Cigar Mile Handicap by a half-length, however he regained his elite kind as a 4-year-old in 2023 after being transferred to coach Rick Dutlow Jr. White Avario received the G1 Whitney Stakes by six lengths in August after which received the $6 million Longines Breeders’ Cup Basic by one size, profitable three out of 5 races and turning into a finalist for Horse of the 12 months. white avario He continued to coach in 2024, profitable just one allowance race in 4 begins, however started to regain his greatest kind close to the tip of the season. Whereas returning to the care of coach Saffie Joseph Jr. White Avario began his 2025 6-year-old season in model with a document win by 6 1/4 lengths. The $2,945,400 Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes will probably be held Jan. 25 at Gulfstream Park. White Avario jockey aimed for a consecutive victory on the 2026 Pegasus World Cup, and after 4 races he received the main prize in 2025, ending in second place.
