Hansen launches three-year-old campaign in Holy Bull

by James Scully

Sunday's $400,000 Holy Bull Stakes at Gulfstream Park marks the seasonal

debut for Hansen, who secured champion two-year-old male divisional honors and

remained unbeaten with a gutsy score in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile. The gray son

of Tapit tops a short field of six in the one-turn mile race.

The Grade 2, $200,000 Forward Gal Stakes for three-year-old fillies at seven

furlongs is also on tap, and Gulfstream will offer an interesting optional

claiming event for three-year-olds. Carded as the 7TH race, the 1 1/16-mile test

has attracted a nice field of nine that includes Kentucky Derby hopefuls Casual

Trick, El Padrino and Take Charge Indy.

Hansen utilized his speed while taking an unconventional route to the Eclipse

Award. He made his first two career starts over the Polytrack at Turfway Park,

easily running away from his rivals both times, including a 13 1/4-length tally

in the Kentucky Cup Juvenile, and stepped up to make his dirt debut in the

Breeders' Cup Juvenile. The Mike Maker-trained colt once again led all the way

at Churchill Downs, but not before repulsing a stiff late bid from Grade 1

Champagne Stakes winner Union Rags, who is overwhelmingly regarded as the early

favorite for this year's Kentucky Derby.

Jockey Ramon Dominguez, who picked up the mount on the front runner in the

Breeders' Cup, retains the assignment and Hansen will face a couple of promising

rivals, Algorithms and Consortium, who are making their stakes debuts in the

Holy Bull.

Algorithms rolled to a 5 1/4-length score when making his first start in a

June 3 maiden special weight at Belmont Park, but wasn't seen again under silks

until December 16, returning with a good-looking victory in a 6 1/2-furlong

optional claiming event at Gulfstream. Javier Castellano rides for Todd

Pletcher. Consortium easily won at first asking for Kiaran McLaughlin on

November 12, posting a 4 3/4-length decision at Aqueduct, and then finished

second as the favorite to Algorithms in the aforementioned optional claimer. He

will keep John Velazquez in the irons.

Algorithms and Consortium are both by Bernardini.

Rounding out the Holy Bull field is Fort Loudon, who swept the Florida

Stallion Stakes series before finishing seventh in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile;

listed stakes victor My Adonis, who will be looking to rebound from a ninth in

the Grade 3 Delta Jackpot; and recent turf maiden winner Silver Max.

A contentious field of six is set for the Forward Gal, and the one-two

finishers from the Grade 3 Old Hat Stakes on New Year's Day, Sacristy and Say a

Novena, are leading contenders. Sacristy has won two straight for Wayne

Catalano, breaking her maiden by a 6 3/4-length margin at Churchill Downs in her

2011 finale, and the dark bay filly will keep Kent Desormeaux up. Say a Novena

recorded stakes wins at Monmouth Park and Parx Racing before concluding last

year with a 10th in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies. The Ed Plesa Jr. pupil

will look to keep improving while stretching out another furlong upon her

late-running effort in the Old Hat, and Elvis Trujillo has the call.

Broadway's Alibi will also attract support following her sharp local score

over optional claiming foes for Pletcher. The once-beaten daughter of

Vindication has captured her last two outings by a combined 12 lengths and will

be ridden by Velazquez. The remaining three contestants are all stakes winners.

Quick Flip opened this year with a front-running victory in the Sandpiper

Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs, improving to three for three in the process, but

suffered her first career setback when fourth in the Old Hat. The Terri

Pompay-trained chestnut will be guided by Rajiv Maragh. Yara will make her first

start since taking the Joe O'Farrell Juvenile Fillies at Calder in November, and

Letellier Memorial Stakes heroine Good Deed invades from Fair Grounds with a

three-race win skein in tow.

The optional claiming event for three-year-old males could have a major

impact upon stakes races down the road.

Take Charge Indy is definitely on the Kentucky Derby trail, recording a

second in the Grade 3 Arlington-Washington Futurity and a fourth in the Grade 1

Breeders' Futurity before concluding his juvenile campaign with a credible fifth

in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile. Out multiple Grade 1 winner Take Charge Lady, the

son of A.P. Indy has banked nearly $100,000 in graded earnings and will make his

second dirt start on Saturday. Trainer Pat Byrne will give a leg up to Calvin

Borel.

Hall of Fame trainer Nick Zito has high hopes for Casual Trick, who exits a

half-length second in the Gulfstream Park Derby. A smart maiden winner at

Churchill Downs two back, the bay ridgling has recorded a couple of bullet works

at Palm Meadows this winter and Zito opted for this spot over the Holy Bull

because of the two-turn distance. Velazquez will stick with Casual Trick.

El Padrino rolled to a 12 3/4-length maiden win as the odds-on favorite at

Belmont Park two starts back and was beaten less than a length when third in the

Grade 2 Remsen Stakes last out. The Pletcher charge loses Velazquez, who had

been up for all three starts, and picks up Castellano.