Classic Empire among 32 horses nominated to Holy Bull

John Oxley’s multiple Grade 1-winning colt Classic Empire, the champion juvenile male of 2016 and regarded as the leading Triple Crown contender in the country, is among 32 horses nominated to the $350,000 Lambholm South Holy Bull (G2) Feb. 4 at Gulfstream Park.

 

The 32nd running of the Holy Bull at 1 1/16 miles is joined by the $200,000 Swale (G2), also run Feb. 4, as Gulfstream’s first major preps for 3-year-olds followed by the $400,000 Fountain of Youth (G2) March 4 and capped by the $1 million Florida Derby (G1) April 1. The seven-furlong Swale attracted 24 nominations.

 

Classic Empire, a bay son of Pioneerof the Nile trained by Mark Casse, has been working steadily at Palm Meadows, Gulfstream’s satellite training facility in Palm Beach County, for his sophomore debut.  He won four of five starts last year including the Bashford Manor (G3), Breeders’ Futurity (G1) and Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, his only loss coming when he wheeled and dropped rider Irad Ortiz Jr. at the start of the Hopeful (G1) at Saratoga.

 

South Florida-based Gunnevera and Three Rules are also among the Holy Bull nominees. Gunnevera upset the Saratoga Special (G2) last summer before capping his juvenile campaign by winning the Delta Jackpot (G3), while Three Rules reeled off five straight wins to open his career, four of them in stakes by 27 ½ combined lengths, before finishing sixth in the Breeders’  Cup Juvenile.

 

Also nominated are multiple stakes winner Cool Arrow; undefeated Smooth Air winner Fact Finding; Made You Look, a multiple graded winner on turf; unbeaten stakes winner Irish War Cry; Mucho Macho Man winner Sonic Mule, a winner of three straight, Grade 2-placed Takaful; stakes winners Squadron and Tapwrit and Grade 1-placed Wild Shot.

 

Three Rules, Cool Air, Fact Finding, Sonic Mule and Wild Shot are among 10 horses nominated to the Swale, along with stakes winner Sweetontheladies, Champagne (G1) third-place finisher Favorable Outcome and stakes-placed Francesco Appeal.

 

Also on tap Feb. 4 are the $200,000 Forward Gal (G2), which drew 19 nominations led by 2016 champion juvenile filly Champagne Room and Spinaway (G1) winner Pretty City Dancer; the $100,000 Sweetest Chant (G3), whose 23 nominees include Grade 2-placed  Rymska; and the $100,000 Kitten’s Joy, which drew 24 nominations.