Flashback: 25 years ago, Holy Bull dominated the Met Mile

Nowadays, it’s rare for a 3-year-old Thoroughbred to compete against older rivals in the prestigious Metropolitan Handicap (G1) at Belmont Park. With so many rich races to target against horses their own age, what’s the point in a sophomore knocking heads with older horses so early in the season?

But 25 years ago, a sensational 3-year-old named Holy Bull challenged those norms when he lined up in the starting gate for the 1994 Met Mile. Nine accomplished rivals stood between Holy Bull and the winner’s circle, and defeating such a quality field would have been a task too formidable for a typical young horse.

Holy Bull, of course, was no typical horse.

Already the gray son of Great Above had prevailed in four graded stakes races against his own age group, showing flashes of brilliance with his dominant front-running triumphs in the Florida Derby (G1) and Blue Grass Stakes (G1). He was favored to win the Kentucky Derby, but after a troubled start, he failed to flash his usual early speed and steadily retreated to finish 12th in a shocking performance.

At that point, owner/trainer Jimmy Croll shifted gears. Rather than continue down the Triple Crown trail, he aimed his star colt for the Met Mile just 23 days after the Derby. Holy Bull had already showcased the speed of a star miler; now he would showcase his talent against one of the toughest Met Mile fields ever assembled.

There was the four-time Grade 1 winner Devil His Due, already an impressive winner of the 1993 Suburban Handicap (G1) at Belmont. There was Colonial Affair, winner of the 1993 Belmont Stakes. There was the three-time graded stakes winner Cherokee Run, in the midst of a championship season that would culminate with a victory in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint. Add in the Grade 1 winners Virginia Rapids and West by West, plus the future two-time Pacific Classic (G1) winner Tinners Way, and it seemed obvious Holy Bull would be in for a fight.

“It’s a tough race,” Croll admitted beforehand in an article by Ross Peddicord in the May 30, 1994, edition of The Baltimore Sun. “But it seemed to me a good time to take a shot at it. Most of the speed is down on the inside of us and hopefully he’s got enough early lick of his own to get an easy lead. There are a couple of other speed horses in there, but unless they are exceptional, I don’t think we’ll be outrun.”

As it turned out, Croll called the race to perfection. In the span of 1:33.98 seconds, Holy Bull made a mockery of the pre-race “tough competition” narrative.

When the gates opened, Holy Bull came out running under jockey Mike Smith, seizing the lead in a matter of strides. Sprinting comfortably, the great gray glided through fractions of :22.93 and :45.14 while leading by a length and well within himself. For a brief moment on the far turn, he was challenged by a sweeping outside bid from Cherokee Run. Then Smith casually gave Holy Bull his cue, hand-urging the colt to lengthen his stride, and Holy Bull responded with a breathtaking burst of acceleration.

In the blink of an eye, Holy Bull bid his older rivals farewell. Under barely any encouragement from Smith, Holy Bull powered down the lane to triumph by 5 ½ lengths over Cherokee Run and Devil His Due in a resounding display of speed and stamina that left no doubt about Holy Bull’s superiority.

“He ran his race today,” Smith told The Courier-Journal. “I can’t explain the Derby; it just wasn’t our day. Today, he came out and showed what he is.”

Holy Bull’s thorough shredding of an elite field came back fast on the speed figure scales. He received a 122 Beyer, which remains tied for the highest number ever assigned to a 3-year-old, and his 136 Equibase speed figure is the highest ever awarded to a Met Mile winner.

By the end of the season, Holy Bull had added consecutive victories in the Dwyer Stakes (G2), Haskell Invitational (G1), Travers Stakes (G1), and Woodward Stakes (G1) to his stellar resume, making him an easy choice for Horse of the Year honors.

But never was Holy Bull’s abundant talent more apparent than in the Met Mile, where he pushed aside memories of his Derby disappointment.

J. Keeler Johnson is a writer, videographer, handicapper and all-around horse racing enthusiast. A great fan of racing history, he considers Dr. Fager to be the greatest racehorse ever produced in America, but counts Zenyatta as his all-time favorite. You can follow him on Twitter at @J_Keelerman.