Holy Bull Stakes

Cairo Prince drills another bullet ahead of Holy Bull

Everything remains on target for Nashua winner Cairo Prince, who is scheduled to make his three-year-old debut in the Grade 2, $400,000 Holy Bull at Gulfstream Park on January 25.

Working in company with four-year-old Shadwell-owned colt Qeyaas, the gray son of Pioneerof the Nile breezed five furlongs in :59 4/5 on Sunday morning at Palm Meadows. Cairo Prince posted the fastest of 29 moves at the distance on the fast main track, and easily surpassed his workmate's time of 1:00 4/5.

It was the fourth work for Cairo Prince since coming to South Florida following his runner-up finish to Honor Code in the Remsen at Aqueduct on November 30, and nearly identical to his breeze one week ago. Last Sunday, he fired a bullet :59 3/5.

"I wasn't looking for :59-and-4 again, but he's just doing great," said Kiaran McLaughlin, who trains Cairo Prince for Namcook Stables, Paul Braverman, Harvey Clarke and Craig Robertson III.

"He had company, but he hooked into a horse that was in front of him a little bit. It kind of made him work a little faster than we needed, but he's doing that well. No worries, no negatives; he worked great."

McLaughlin said he will give Cairo Prince one more work leading into the Holy Bull, which is run at 1 1/16 miles and is the first in a series of preps for the Grade 1, $1 million Florida Derby on March 30.

"We'll work again next Saturday or Sunday, a half-mile probably on his own now, hopefully in something like :49," McLaughlin said. "When you ask a horse to go a little slower and they end up going fast, that's a good sign that he's doing extremely well. He's happy, and we're happy."

McLaughlin picked up a pair of wins on Saturday's card at Gulfstream, with four-year-old Elnaawi in the 7TH race, a 1 1/16-mile optional claiming allowance on dirt, and three-year-old filly Macaroon in the 8TH, a 7 1/2-furlong turf sprint.

Holy Bull Stakes Race Information

Location: Gulfstream Park, Hallandale Beach, Florida
Inaugurated: 1972
Race type: Thoroughbred - Flat racing
Distance: 1 mile (8 furlongs)
Track: Dirt, left-handed
Qualification: Three-year-olds
Weight: Assigned
Purse: $400,000
Grade: II

Race Type: Kentucky Derby Prep Race

Road to the Roses Points: 1st=10 points; 2nd=4 points; 3rd=2 points; 4th=1 point

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Holy Bull Stakes Past Winners