Centennial Farm’s talented 3-year-old colt Neary may have secured his spot in next month’s $250,000 Holy Bull Stakes (G3) with an impressive five-length win over the popular Confessional at Gulfstream Park on Friday.
The $350,000-bred colt by Not This Time Almost, with odds of $4.60, earned his second consecutive victory at Gulfstream under the guidance of Hall of Fame jockey John Velasquez. Neary completed seven furlongs in 1:22.88 on the fast track, following a dominant 9 1/4-length win in a six-furlong race against another Florida colt on November 22.
Starting side by side with Confessional, Neary managed to avoid a collision at the break and settled into a clear fourth place four-wide. Blame Yourself, challenged by Confessional from the outside, led the race at the quarter-mile mark with a time of 22.82 seconds. After covering the first half-mile in 46.59 seconds and moving forward alongside Confessional, both colts headed straight home. Following a brief duel, Neary pulled ahead to win narrowly.
“He had a rough start, but then he settled down, found a good rhythm, ran well, and finished strong,” said Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher. “He has always been well-trained. We were surprised he didn’t perform better in his debut due to reacting badly to the kickback. I’m glad he bounced back and showed his true potential,” he added. “He seems to be getting more professional with each race. I liked his finish and we look forward to his development.”
Confessional finished a close second, followed by Timeless Victory and Blame Yourself. Mob, who went off as the 9-5 favorite after a win on November 23, and Vost, who finished third in the Iroquois Stakes (G3) on September 13, along with first-time winners Into the Beast and Prost, suffered injuries.
Neary, who placed sixth in a six-furlong open maiden special weight at Aqueduct on October 26, is targeting the $1 million Curlin Florida Derby (G1) on March 28, which, like the Holy Bull, is run at 1 1/16 miles. His next likely step is a return to Gulfstream for the Holy Bull, followed by the $400,000 Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2) on February 28.
“We have plenty of options nearly every weekend this spring, so we’ll discuss plans with the Centennial team. He’s undefeated in two starts at Gulfstream, so the Holy Bull is definitely an option,” Pletcher said. “If he needs more time, there are other opportunities.”
Fan Take: Neary’s dominant performance is an exciting development for horse racing enthusiasts, signaling the emergence of a new contender who could shape the early 2026 racing season. His progress offers hope for thrilling competitions and highlights the depth of talent in regional prep races leading to major stakes events.
