Three top contenders—G3 winner Incredivolt, undefeated New York-bred Bravalo, and two-time winner Neary—are all aiming for the $275,000 Holy Bull (G3) at Gulfstream Park on January 31st. This 1 1/16-mile race for 3-year-olds is a key stepping stone toward the $1 million Curlin Florida Derby (G1) on March 28, which follows the 1-mile Mucho Macho Man race on January 3 and the $400,000 Fountain of Youth (G2), also at 1 1/16 miles.
Trainer Riley Mott’s Pin Oak Stud colt, Incredivolt, has won two consecutive races, including a two-length victory over a mile on September 28, and most recently clinched the 1 1/16-mile Street Sense (G3) on October 26 after a slow start. Bravalo, trained by Saffie Joseph Jr., has a 2-2 win-loss record at Aqueduct and recently won the Sleepy Hollow mile on October 26 by two and a half lengths. Joseph also previously secured victory in the Holy Bull with White Avario in 2022.
Neary, bred by Centennial Farms, impressed with a 9¼-length win in his first race over six furlongs against Florida-breds at Gulfstream on November 22, then followed up with a five-length win in a seven-furlong open race on January 2. Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher has won the Holy Bull twice, with Algorithms in 2012 and Audible in 2018.
Other potential Holy Bull contenders include Cannonier, Game For It, Global Aviator, Project Ace, Roger That Dana (runner-up to Mucho Macho Man), and Thunder Chuck, who finished second in the Juvenile Sprint at Gulfstream on November 22.
The Holy Bull’s 37th running is part of a program featuring five stakes for 3-year-olds, including two major races worth $975,000 combined. Additionally, the $275,000 Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2) for sophomore fillies will be contested through the $175,000 Forward Gal (G3), which is run over seven furlongs on March 28.
Mythical, Arindell’s homebred filly and five-time winner in six starts, including stakes in New York and Florida, is a leading candidate for the Forward Gal. Also undefeated in two starts, including the December 6 Dumoiselle (G2), is Mike Lepore’s Zanny.
Other races on the undercard include the $175,000 Sweetest Chant for fillies, the $175,000 Kitten’s Joy on turf at 1 1/16 miles, and the $175,000 Swale, a seven-furlong race on the main track.
For Friday’s 10-race Gulfstream Park card, the 20-cent Rainbow 6 jackpot pool is estimated at $425,000, spanning races 5-10. The sequence starts with a claiming race for older fillies and mares at one mile and 70 yards on Tapeta. Highlights include Shadwell’s $1.2 million Tapit colt Elgido and Calumet Farm’s Seabee Smooth, both set to debut under Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher.
Race 9 features allowances on the 5-furlong turf option for older fillies, with notable competitors like Denver’s Alley and Clay Solder. The popular Dominant Diva will also race, boasting four wins from five starts, mainly on dirt.
The Rainbow 6 jackpot pays out only to tickets with unique winners across all six races. If no unique ticket is sold, 70% of the pool returns to the top single ticket holder, with 30% rolling over to the next jackpot. The mandatory payout day is Pegasus World Cup Day, with an estimated $4 million jackpot if not won earlier.
Since the 2025-2026 season began on November 27, Rainbow 6 has been hit three times, with payouts ranging from about $2,390 to a life-changing $416,348 on January 8.
Fan Take: This lineup showcases an exciting crop of young talent poised to shape the 3-year-old division, offering fans a thrilling path to the Kentucky Derby. The competitive stakes and hefty purses underscore Gulfstream Park’s growing role as a premier destination for top-level horse racing, promising great stories and intense rivalries ahead.
