Holy Bull

Gulfstream Park • Hallandale Beach, FL, USA 20-10-6-4-2
January 31, 2026

Holy Bull Stakes Race History

Question: What do Kentucky Derby winners Go for Gin (1994), Funny Cide (2003), and Barbaro (2006) all have in common?

Answer: They all used the Holy Bull (G3) at Gulfstream Park as a steppingstone toward career-defining victories in the “Run for the Roses.”

Inaugurated in 1990 as the Preview S., the race was renamed in 1996 to honor the recently retired 1994 Horse of the Year Holy Bull, who counted the Florida Derby (G1) among his major stakes wins at Gulfstream.

Through the years, the conditions of the Holy Bull have shifted repeatedly; the distance has been changed seven times, and the purse has risen and fallen like the tides. But one element has never changed, and that is the Holy’s Bull status as a key prep race on the Road to the Kentucky Derby.

Go for Gin and Barbaro managed to sweep both the Holy Bull and the Kentucky Derby during their productive winter/spring campaigns, while fan favorite Funny Cide finished fifth in the Holy Bull before peaking on the first Saturday in May.

Also noteworthy, Holy Bull participants Captain Bodgit (1997), Closing Argument (2005), Mucho Macho Man (2011), Wicked Strong (2014), Frosted (2015), Mohaymen (2016), Classic Empire (2017), Audible (2018), and Tiz the Law (2020) all went on to hit the board in the Kentucky Derby.

The Holy Bull offers Kentucky Derby qualifications points to the top five finishers on a 20-10-6-4-2 basis. The race was held over 1 1⁄16 miles from 1991 through 2004 and returned to its signature distance in 2013. Quick times have been common in the Holy Bull, but through 2020 no one has run faster than Go for Gin, who clocked 1 1⁄16 miles in 1:41.62.

By J. Keeler Johnson/TwinSpires.com

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Road to the Kentucky Derby

The Futurity Trophy Stakes

October 25, 2025

Doncaster • Doncaster, England, UK

Points: 10-5-3-2-1

Street Sense

October 26, 2025

Churchill Downs • Louisville, KY, USA

Points: 10-5-3-2-1

Breeders’ Cup Juvenile

October 31, 2025

Del Mar • Del Mar, CA, USA

Points: 30-15-9-6-3

Cattleya

November 29, 2025

Tokyo Racecourse • Fuchu, Tokyo, Japan

Points: 10-5-3-2-1

Kentucky Jockey Club

November 29, 2025

Churchill Downs • Louisville, KY, USA

Points: 10-5-3-2-1

Remsen

December 6, 2025

Aqueduct • New York, NY, USA

Points: 10-5-3-2-1

Los Alamitos Futurity

December 13, 2025

Los Alamitos • Cypress, CA, USA

Points: 10-5-3-2-1

Zen-Nippon Nisai Yushun

December 17, 2025

Kawasaki • Kawasaki, Japan

Points: 20-10-6-4-2

Gun Runner

December 20, 2025

Fair Grounds • New Orleans, LA, USA

Points: 10-5-3-2-1

Remington Springboard Mile

December 20, 2025

Remington Park • Oklahoma City, OK, USA

Points: 10-5-3-2-1

Jerome

January 3, 2026

Aqueduct • New York, NY, USA

Points: 10-5-3-2-1

Smarty Jones

January 3, 2026

Oaklawn Park • Hot Springs, AR, USA

Points: 10-5-3-2-1

Lecomte

January 17, 2026

Fair Grounds • New Orleans, LA, USA

Points: 20-10-6-4-2

UAE 2000 Guineas

January 23, 2026

Meydan Racecourse • Dubai, UAE

Points: 20-10-6-4-2

Withers

January 31, 2026

Aqueduct • New York, NY, USA

Points: 20-10-6-4-2

Robert B. Lewis

January 31, 2026

Santa Anita Park • Arcadia, CA, USA

Points: 20-10-6-4-2

Holy Bull

January 31, 2026

Gulfstream Park • Hallandale Beach, FL, USA

Points: 20-10-6-4-2

Southwest

January 31, 2026

Oaklawn Park • Hot Springs, AR, USA

Points: 20-10-6-4-2

Sam F. Davis

February 7, 2026

Tampa Bay Downs • Tampa, FL, USA

Points: 20-10-6-4-2

Saudi Derby

February 14, 2026

King Abdulaziz Racecourse

Points: 30-15-9-6-3

Fasig-Tipton Risen Star

February 14, 2026

Fair Grounds • New Orleans, LA, USA

Points: 50-25-15-10-5

Sunland Derby

February 15, 2026

Sunland Park • Sunland Park, NM, USA

Points: 20-10-6-4-2

Dubai Road to the Kentucky Derby Stakes

February 20, 2026

Meydan Racecourse • Dubai, UAE

Points: 20-10-6-4-2

Hyacinth

February 21, 2026

Tokyo Racecourse • Fuchu, Tokyo, Japan

Points: 30-15-9-6-3

John Battaglia Memorial

February 21, 2026

Turfway Park • Florence, KY

Points: 20-10-6-4-2

Road to the Kentucky Derby Condition Stakes

February 25, 2026

Kempton • Sunbury-on-Thames, England, UK

Points: 20-10-6-4-2

Fountain of Youth

February 28, 2026

Gulfstream Park • Hallandale Beach, FL, USA

Points: 50-25-15-10-5

San Felipe

February 28, 2026

Santa Anita Park • Arcadia, CA, USA

Points: 50-25-15-10-5

Gotham

February 28, 2026

Aqueduct • New York, NY, USA

Points: 50-25-15-10-5

Rebel

March 1, 2026

Oaklawn Park • Hot Springs, AR, USA

Points: 50-25-15-10-5

The Patton

March 6, 2026

Dundalk • Louth, Ireland

Points: 20-10-6-4-2

ESMARK Tampa Bay Derby

March 7, 2026

Tampa Bay Downs • Tampa, FL, USA

Points: 50-25-15-10-5

Virginia Derby

March 14, 2026

Colonial Downs • New Kent, VA, USA

Points: 50-25-15-10-5

Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby

March 21, 2026

Fair Grounds • New Orleans, LA, USA

Points: 100-50-25-15-10

Jeff Ruby Steaks

March 21, 2026

Turfway Park • Florence, KY

Points: 100-50-25-15-10

Fukuryu

March 28, 2026

Nakayama • Funabashi, Chiba, Japan

Points: 40-20-12-8-4

UAE Derby

March 28, 2026

Meydan Racecourse • Dubai, UAE

Points: 100-60-30-15-10

Arkansas Derby

March 28, 2026

Oaklawn Park • Hot Springs, AR, USA

Points: 100-50-25-15-10

Florida Derby

March 28, 2026

Gulfstream Park • Hallandale Beach, FL, USA

Points: 100-50-25-15-10

Santa Anita Derby

April 4, 2026

Santa Anita Park • Arcadia, CA, USA

Points: 100-50-25-15-10

Blue Grass

April 4, 2026

Keeneland • Lexington, KY, USA

Points: 100-50-25-15-10

Wood Memorial

April 4, 2026

Aqueduct • New York, NY, USA

Points: 100-50-25-15-10

Lexington

April 11, 2026

Keeneland • Lexington, KY, USA

Points: 20-10-6-4-2

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