by
The Gulfstream Park series of Kentucky Derby points races begins Saturday, February 3 with the $250,000 Holy Bull Stakes (G3)! In addition to the rich purse, the race offers 20-10-6-4-2 Road to the Kentucky Derby points to the top five finishers. The 1 1/16-mile dirt race drew a field of eight led by Fierceness, the 2023 champion juvenile who is being pointed toward the Kentucky Derby in 2024.
The Holy Bull regularly produces horses who make noise on the Kentucky Derby trail and beyond. Two of the best horses of the last few years won the Holy Bull, including Belmont (G1) and Travers (G1) winner Tiz the Law in 2020, as well as Florida Derby (G1) and Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) winner White Abarrio in 2022.
Who will join this list in 2024? Keep reading to find out, and to see the best places to bet on horse races including the Holy Bull Stakes online!
Where to Bet the Holy Bull Stakes
The first step to a profitable Holy Bull Stakes bet is to make sure you are betting at the best online sportsbook. You have many options, but our experts are here to make that decision as quick and easy as possible. Our experts have reviewed the top sportsbooks right here, and they will help you make a confident decision quickly so you can get to betting the races!
Every sportsbook we recommend has the foundations of a great wagering experience: trusted payouts, market-leading odds, and a great user interface. Each site also offers great perks for players including sportsbook sign-up bonuses, referral incentives, and even rebates that pay you in cash or free bets for every wager you make!
Taking a few minutes to choose the best option now can help build your bankroll by hundreds or even thousands of dollars in the future. So, choose your best option today!
Holy Bull Stakes Horses and Odds
This is the official field for the 2024 Holy Bull Stakes including draw numbers, trainers, and jockeys:
- Hades (Joseph Orseno/Paco Lopez)
- Inveigled (Jane Cibelli/Irad Ortiz, Jr.)
- Otello (Christophe Clement/Luis Saez)
- Dancing Groom (Antonio Sano/Junior Alvarado)
- No More Time (Jose D’Angelo/Jose Ortiz)
- Domestic Product (Chad Brown/Tyler Gaffalione)
- Fierceness (Todd Pletcher/John Velazquez)
- Sea Streak (Eddie Owens/Luca Panici)
Closer to Saturday the track will release morning-line odds. They can help you understand the likely betting board, but they are no guarantee of odds on each contender. Odds on track change all the way until post time.
Your best bet is to play the Holy Bull Stakes online through a trusted sportsbook. Online sportsbooks offer fixed-odds wagering on major races, meaning you can place your bet and lock in the best price the moment you make your wager. Then, you can watch the race and know exactly what you’ll be paid when you win, instead of waiting for the price to settle!
 |  |  |
|
| National Treasure | +135 | +180 | +180 |
| First Mission | +300 | +300 | +300 |
| Trademark | +900 | +900 | +700 |
| Grand Aspen | +1200 | +1400 | +1400 |
| Hoist the Gold | +1200 | +1200 | +900 |
| O'Connor | +1200 | +1200 | +1100 |
| Skippylongstocking | +1200 | +1400 | +1400 |
Free Holy Bull Stakes Picks
Now that you have set up your online betting account, it’s time to get to know the horses in the race. These are the most important contenders to use in your Holy Bull Stakes wagers.
Holy Bull Stakes Win Selection
Although Fierceness will be a well-defined favorite, sometimes a horse has shown enough to be a logical single, even in a stakes race. Fierceness is exactly that kind of horse. He is not only the only winner in the field at this distance, but did so in such fast fashion that his opponents will have to find a massive step forward in order to get close.
Fierceness also has all the right tools to succeed at Gulfstream, even though he has yet to run over the Florida oval. His forward running style is the right one for that track. His relatively outside draw in a short field should afford him a clean start and a good trip. And, trainer Todd Pletcher is not only a perennial force at the Gulfstream winter meet, but should have him sharp and ready off the lay.
Underneath Contenders in the Holy Bull Stakes
The most likely horse to fill out the exacta underneath Fierceness is Domestic Product. Trained by strong two-turn trainer Chad Brown, Domestic Product broke his maiden at 1 ⅛ miles at Aqueduct. Though he faltered on a wet day in the Remsen (G2), the dry footing for the Holy Bull should do well. Expect him to track the pace and keep going in the lane.
Otello also has upside on his first try at two turns. He is already a stakes winner over the Gulfstream dirt. And, though he has never gone this long before, both his parents are graded-quality route horses: Curlin and Isabella Sings. Expect him to work a trip a couple lengths off the leaders; beating Fierceness would be a surprise but running on for the place would not.
As a longer shot for deeper exotics, Dancing Groom has several things to recommend him. The Antonio Sano trainee has two-turn experience, including a win at a mile at Saratoga as well as a try in the Kentucky Jockey Club (G2). The newly-added blinkers should keep him a little closer to the pace this time, always a positive at Gulfstream, and also a strong move for Sano’s runners.
Holy Bull Stakes Free Picks
You’ve got one thing left to do now that you’ve made your betting account and gotten to know the field, and it’s the most fun part of all: placing your bet! These are your best bets for Saturday’s 2024 Holy Bull Stakes:
- $20 to win – #7 Fierceness
- $1 exacta key – #7 Fierceness over #3 Otello, #6 Domestic Product
- $0.50 trifecta key – #7 Fierceness over #3 Otello, #4 Dancing Groom, #6 Domestic Product
- $0.20 superfecta key – #7 Fierceness over #3 Otello, #4 Dancing Groom, #6 Domestic Product
