Overcontrol, Bluegrass Singer Lead Holy Bull Noms

The $400,000 Lambholm South Holy Bull Stakes (G2) attracted 31 nominations for the 26th running of the 1 1/16-mile stakes for 3-year-olds at Gulfstream Park on Saturday, Jan. 24. Trainer Todd Pletcher nominated seven horses to the key prep for the $1 million Besilu Stables Florida Derby (G1; March 28), while trainer Kiaran McLaughlin has five horses on the list of nominations.

Pletcher, who saddled Algorithms for a Holy Bull victory in 2012, nominated Itsaknockout, Overcontrol, Blame Game, Far From Over, Madefromlucky and Savoy Stomp. Itsaknockout, a son of Lemon Drop Kid, has launched his career during Gulfstream’s Championship Meet with back-to-back victories, including handy 4 ¼-length allowance romp on Jan. 4. Overcontrol, a $725,000 purses at sale last year, made a sensational debut with a 4 ¼-length victory at Gulfstream on Dec. 27. Blame Game scored at first asking at Gulfstream on Dec. 16.

McLaughlin, who saddled Cairo Prince for a victory in the Holy Bull last season, is represented on the nominations list by Imperia, Frosted, Classy Class, Ocean Night and Mawthooq. Imperia was nosed out of a victory in the Kentucky Jockey Club (G2) at Churchill in November, while Frosted finished a close second in the Remsen (G2) at Aqueduct in his 2014 finale.

Marcus Vitali-trained Bluegrass Singer and Josie Carroll-trained Ami’s Flatter, who finished 1-2, respectively, in the $100,000 Mucho Macho Man at Gulfstream on Jan. 3, were both nominated for the Holy Bull. Carroll also nominated Decision Day and Glenville Gardens, a pair of stakes winners at Woodbine last year.

Upstart, who finished third in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) and second in the Champagne (G1) last year, has been nominated by trainer Richard Violette.

Trainer Dale Romans nominated Keen Ice, who finished third in the Kentucky Jockey Club, as well as Jack Tripp. International Star, a stakes winner who finished fourth in the Kentucky Jockey Club, was nominated by trainer Mike Maker, who was also represented on the nominations list by A. Rod Again. High Noon Rider, third in the Springboard Mile at Remington Park, was nominated by trainer George Weaver.

Hall of Fame trainer Nick Zito, who has saddled three Holy Bull winners, nominated Frammento, a runner-up to Bluegrass Singer in a Dec. 17 allowance at Gulfstream. Zito visited the Holy Bull winner’s circle with Dialed In (2011), Suave Prospect (1995) and Go for Gin (1994). Go On Gin went on to win the Kentucky Derby, as did 2006 Holy Bull winner Barbaro.

Source: Gulfstream Park Communications