Dale Romans is optimistic about the potential of War of Will’s progeny to contend in the 2026 Triple Crown and will be guiding Albaugh Family Stables LLC’s Project Ace in Saturday’s $275,000 Holy Bull Stakes (G3) at Gulfstream Park. Romans stated, “Based on how he performs, I believe he can compete. We’re eager to see his level this weekend. I know he possesses quality, and I admire his running style. He’s a smart horse who does everything correctly.”
The Holy Bull Stakes headline a 12-race card featuring five stakes events for three-year-olds, each contested at 1 1/16 miles, serving as a lead-up to the $1 million Curlin Florida Derby (G1) on March 28 at Gulfstream. Project Ace will make his Holy Bull debut in 2026 after finishing his sophomore campaign by breaking his maiden at the 1 1/16-mile distance. His career began with an impressive move from 12th to third over six furlongs at Churchill Downs on September 16. He then nearly won at Keeneland on October 18 in a 1 1/16-mile race, advancing from the back of the pack, and finally achieved victory in the Holy Bull Distance when rallying from last to first at Churchill Downs on November 15.
Romans added, “He’s going to improve with more distance and maturity. He will settle down before making his charge, which fits his running style and training regimen perfectly, and he will continue to race that way.” The 1 1/16-mile race bends around Gulfstream’s 1 1/8-mile main track and finishes at the first finish line, which could pose a challenge for Project Ace.
“The main concern is the short stretches; he’ll need to run well through the turns,” Romans noted. “Hopefully, a faster pace will help us pick off some horses down the stretch.” Project Ace is expected to face six competitors, including Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher’s 9-5 favorite Neary, who is stepping into stakes competition following consecutive Gulfstream wins; Riley Mott’s Incredible, fresh off a win in Churchill’s 1 1/16-mile Street Sense (G3) last year; and Brad Cox’s strong contender Cannonier. Cannonier is projected to set a strong pace and is favored for his first Churchill win on Saturday.
For Albaugh Family Stables, longtime clients who have seen champions like Not This Time, Brodie’s Cause, Dennis’ Moment, and Free Drop Billy emerge under Romans’ training, the development of Project Ace into a Triple Crown-level horse would be especially rewarding. “They always do things the right way and run a great program. We want to do great things for them,” Romans expressed.
Jockey Corey Lanerie, who has partnered with Project Ace in three prior races, will be back aboard for the Holy Bull.
Meanwhile, Bryant Prentiss III’s Music Burst returns to dirt this Saturday for her season and stakes debut in the $175,000 Forward Gal (G3) at Gulfstream Park. Trained by Rusty Arnold, known for his past wins including the 2023 Red Carpet Ready Forward Gal Award and the 2005 Leggo Mecho Award, Music Burst competed exclusively in six-furlong races across three Kentucky tracks as a two-year-old. After finishing a distant sixth in her debut at Keeneland in mid-October, she rebounded with a victory in a special class race at Churchill Downs four weeks later.
Arnold remarked, “We liked her first run at Keeneland despite the rough start and dirt in her face, which caused her to back up in typical young horse fashion. But when we rallied her back, everything went smoothly. Jose Ortiz rode her into the lead impressively.” Before relocating to South Florida for the winter, Music Burst contested one more race on Turfway Park’s all-weather surface, making a steady late charge to finish second in an optional claiming allowance and then winning by half a length on December 21.
“We initially planned to ease her down the ranks, but running at Turfway was a good fit since the purse was attractive and the race conditions hadn’t yet changed for the championship meet,” Arnold explained. “She performed well, despite not having the best trip and facing synthetic track challenges.” Luis Saez will be aboard Music Burst, listed at 10-1 odds from the 11th post position in the morning line.
Arnold continued, “In her win, starting from the one hole and not leading that day was impressive because she had to work hard to reach the wire. She doesn’t have to lead to win, which bodes well for her chances.”
This article was originally published by Paulick Report on January 29, 2026, in the News section.
Fan Take: This update is exciting for horse racing fans as it highlights promising young talents that could shape the future of the Triple Crown and spring racing seasons. Watching emerging horses like Project Ace and Music Burst develop adds fresh intrigue and excitement, fueling hope for thrilling rivalries and dramatic finishes in the sport’s biggest events.
