Welcome to the Kentucky Derby Prospect Profile. Every week, right here we spotlight latest winners of the Street to the Derby, a preparation schedule to qualify for the 1 1/4-mile traditional race at Churchill Downs on Could 2, 2026.
This week we’ll take a more in-depth look virtuallyreceived the $267,500 Holy Bull Stakes at Gulfstream Park on January 31 by 5 and three-quarters of a size. He earned almost 20 factors en path to the victory, transferring him to No. 1 on the Street to the Kentucky Derby leaderboard, the spot vacated by absent champion Ted Nophy.
Race abstract: After failing to put in his profession debut towards Aqueduct in October, Neary has been unbeatable in his subsequent three begins at Gulfstream Park. He dominated the Florida colt by 9 1/4 lengths within the six-furlong race on November twenty second, received the seven-furlong allowance choice race by 5 lengths on January 2nd, and received his first stakes check on January thirty first with Holy Bull’s Escape.
The Not This Time stallion set a average tempo, finishing the ultimate eight miles in a time of 12.32 seconds and ending sturdy with an allowance win. At Holy Bull, Neary chased down 3-2 favourite Cannonier at a really quick tempo, finishing the primary quarter mile in 22.82 seconds and the half mile in 45.96 seconds, holding off Cannonier and second-place Bravalo on the straightaway for a convincing victory for Corridor of Fame coach Todd Pletcher.
“I assumed it was a very sturdy efficiency,” Pletcher stated. “They have been working fairly quick early on, however he appeared to have good cruising pace. … That was just about what we anticipated.”
Maybe as a result of the early tempo was so quick, Neary was unable to realize a quick end at Holy Bull, ending the ultimate quarter mile in 27.54 seconds, in response to Equibase’s GPS chart.
Velocity numbers: His Holy Bull Stakes win earned him an Equibase Velocity Determine of almost 90 and a Beyer Velocity Determine of 98. This exhibits that the 2 pace determine producers decide wins (and racehorses) in vastly alternative ways. 98 Beyer has very sturdy numbers for a 3-year-old horse in January, with a steady report of 82 wins, 97 losses, and 98 losses amongst his three wins. His Equibase pace numbers in the identical three races are 86-92-90, so whereas his Beyer pace numbers are elite, his Equibase numbers aren’t as sturdy total as a lot of his divisional colleagues.
Working type: Neary used his tactical pace successfully in his three wins, and after discovering the tempo in his first two wins, he closed in on the favourite at Holy Bull and pulled away in a straight line. That working type is an asset on the Kentucky Derby path, because it permits the 3-year-old to make use of his pace to remain out of hassle, and turns into much more vital on the expansive Derby monitor.
Pedigree notes: Neary is a 6-year-old out of Not This Time, who was runner-up within the 2016 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. Not This Time has developed into a flexible, high-quality sire by main sire Large’s Causeway, producing high runners such because the 2022 champion 3-year-old colt Epicenter and the 2023 champion turf colt As much as the Mark.
Neary is a half-sister (similar dam, totally different sire) to Frolic’s Revenge, who was produced by two-time dash winner Ib Prospecting and five-time stakes winner over the mile. Neary’s grandmother (maternal grandmother), Stormy Florrick, was a four-time stakes winner at 1 1/16 miles.
Derby potentialities: Neary confirmed pace and flexibility when it comes to working type. He’s within the arms of a Corridor of Fame coach and jockey duo (Todd Pletcher and John Velasquez). He has posted very sturdy Beyer pace numbers. And he calmly accomplished the primary two turns of the check. I might prefer to see him end quicker – common readers know that is an vital issue for me when evaluating 3-year-old horses – however Neary seems to be like a severe expertise. He plans to stay in Florida and goal one other race heading into the Kentucky Derby with Gulfstream, more than likely the Curlin Florida Derby on March twenty eighth.
“(Holy Bull) was his third race in a comparatively brief time frame, and we needed him to get two turns of expertise, and he responded to that,” Pletcher stated. “Now that he is handled it, we’ll in all probability be ready the place we may give him somewhat bit extra time for the following sport.”
