In what is the deepest Kentucky Derby prep run this year, today’s Grade 3 Holy Bull in Hallandale features the return of some of the classier Derby prospects on the 2022 roster making their 3-year-old debuts.
The leading contenders making their returns are Remsen winner Mo Donegal (5-2) and Breeders’ Cup Juvenile good third, Giant Game (7-2).
According to their published works, both will be fit, but as to sharpness off the bench and trainer intent considering we are still three months from the big dance is anyone’s guess.
So those are reasons to look with trepidation but there’s more, such as the return of Mucho Macho Man winner Simplification for local horseman Antonio Sano. This horse will not be short of condition by any means and the MMM should have him primed for his two turn debut.
“I think that more distance is better for my horse,” Sano told Gulfstream press staffers. Today we will test that theory. Simplification (4-1) leaves from slip #4 in the field of nine.
In addition to the notion that he is the speed of the speed and that Javier Castellano is carefully aggressive with speedy mounts, his energy distribution was excellent throughout a quickly-run MMM one-turn mile.
That, and the upper stretch finish line in races at the 1-1/16 miles, works to his advantage. And given that there are higher profile connections in this event should ensure bettable odds. But don’t take our word; review the Mucho Macho Man in the Going Gulfstream Video section on the HRI homepage.
Taking Simplification to win at 3-1 or greater, and exacta key boxes with Mo Donegal and Giant Game.
