- Trainer PPs UPDATED
- Sire PPs UPDATED
Nearly Dominates 2026 Holy Bull Stakes at Gulfstream Park
Canva
The 2026 Holy Bull Stakes is officially in the books, and we have a new leader in the Florida division of the Road to the Kentucky Derby. Nearly, from the Todd Pletcher barn, proved, as expected, that two turns are no obstacle for him, and this son of Not This Time delivered a dominant performance for his Centennial Farms connections.
For Pletcher, the race was to be a test of stamina and class for his now 3-in-a-row winner, and Nearly answered every question through each fraction of the 1 1/16 miles race with authority. Ridden masterfully by Hall of Famer John Velazquez, Nearly, by the Mineshaft mare Prospecting, sat just off a blistering pace before pulling away in the stretch to win the Grade 3 Holy Bull Stakes by a comfortable 5 ¾ lengths.
Race Recap
As expected, the early speed was set by Cannoneer who was making his first start of the year as the 3-2 favorite after closing his 2-year-old campaign with an impressive performance in a maiden special weight race at Churchill Downs. Making his first start around two turns, he was hounded by Nearly just to his outside as the early leaders zipped through sharp fractions of :22.82 and :45.96. As they hit the far turn, Velazquez gave Nearly his cue. The colt quickly overhauled a game Cannoneer and opened up a daylight lead. Bravaro attempted a late rally from the outside, but he was never a threat to the winner.
Nearly stopped the clock in 1:44.52 for the 1 1/16 miles on a fast main track, earning 20 qualifying points and securing his spot on the leaderboard for the First Saturday in May.
Official Order of Finish & Payouts
| Finish | Horse | Jockey | Trainer | Odds |
| 1st | Nearly | John Velazquez | Todd Pletcher | 8-5 |
| 2nd | Bravaro | Tyler Gaffalione | Saffie Joseph, Jr. | 6-1 |
| 3rd | Project Ace | Corey Lanerie | Dale Romans | 40-1 |
| 4th | Cannoneer | Irad Ortiz, Jr. | Brad Cox | 6-5 (F) |
| 5th | Global Aviator | Joe Bravo | Rohan Crichton | 12-1 |
| 6th | Incredibolt | Jaime Torres | Riley Mott | 7-1 |
Scratches: Buetane, Game for It, Roger That Dana
Wagering Payouts ($2.00 Basis)
- Win (#7 Nearly): $5.40
- Place (#8 Bravaro): $4.80
- Show (#3 Project Ace): $12.60
- $2.00 Exacta (7-8): $31.20
- $1.00 Trifecta (7-8-3): $412.80
What’s Next?
With his effort, Nearly has officially stamped himself as the horse to beat in Florida. Where he goes from here is up to Pletcher, but Nearly is now 3-for-3 at Gulfstream, and it would make sense to stick around as for the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth on February 28, and the Grade 1 Florida Derby on March 28.
