High Fly tops Holy Bull; Hutcheson features Proud Accolade, Defer

High Fly tops Holy Bull; Hutcheson features Proud Accolade,

Defer

Gulfstream Park will host a pair of graded stakes for three-year-olds

on the undercard of Saturday's $500,000 Donn H. (G1). The $150,000 Holy Bull

S. (G3) will be contested over 1 1/8 miles and drew eight contestants, including

the unbeaten HIGH FLY (Atticus), who exits a nine-length romp in the Adventura

S. earlier in the meet.

Trained by Bill White, High Fly is three for three overall and has never been

seriously challenged. He'll carry top weight of 122 pounds and break from the

outermost post under regular rider Eddie Castro. Following his visually

impressive score in the one-turn, one-mile Adventura, High Fly will make his

first attempt around two turns in the Holy Bull.

Opponents include DEAREST MON (Maria's Mon), who has captured his last two

starts and makes his stakes bow off a sharp allowance score in Hallandale,

Florida, stakes winner CLOSING ARGUMENT (Successful Appeal), and KANSAS CITY BOY

(Boston Harbor), who exits a close third-place finish in his first black-type

attempt, the LeComte S. (G3) at Fair Grounds.

Calder stakes victor G P'S BLACK KNIGHT (Tiger Ridge), who will carry a

118-pound impost under Edgar Prado, leads the Holy Bull post parade. Next comes

Closing Argument, Cornelio Velasquez, 120; Kansas City Boy, Brice Blanc, 118;

DRUM MAJOR (Dynaformer), Jose Santos, 118; CRIMINAL MIND (Cryptoclearance),

Eibar Coa, 120; Dearest Mon, Jerry Bailey, 116; HOSTILE WITNESS (Successful

Appeal), Cecilio Penalba, 116; and High Fly.

The $150,000 Hutcheson S. (G2) goes earlier on the program and features a

field of six at 7 1/2 furlongs. Champagne S. (G1) victor PROUD ACCOLADE (Yes

It's True) highlights the cast, but he faces some talented rivals in DEFER (Danzig)

and PARK AVENUE BALL (Citidancer).

Proud Accolade reeled off a pair of impressive victories at Saratoga before

posting a hard-fought decision in the Champagne over a strong field that

included Afleet Alex (Northern Afleet) and Sun King (Charismatic). He didn't

fare as well when stretching out to two turns for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile

(G1) and Hollywood Futurity (G1), but he's been freshened since then and returns

to a much more favorable spot sprinting for trainer Todd Pletcher here.

Defer captured his career debut, finished second in the Nashua S. (G3), and

then

wrapped up his juvenile campaign with a two-length score in the Laurel Futurity

(G3). The Shug McGaughey-trained colt will have Bailey in the saddle. Park

Avenue Ball was a two-time stakes winner last season, including a three-length

tally in the Futurity S. (G2) at Belmont Park. The chestnut colt will make his

three-year-old bow for trainer James Ryerson in the Hutcheson.

From the rail, the horses, riders and weights are Proud Accolade, John

Velazquez, 120; CARSON'S BRIDGE (Carson City), Velasquez, 118; VICARAGE (Vicar),

Chris DeCarlo, 118; Park Avenue Ball, Javier Castellano, 120; DEVIL AT SEA

(Devil His Due), Jose Santos, 116; and Defer, 120.

Gulfstream will also offer a pair of allowances for three-year-olds on

Saturday. The 2ND race, a seven-furlong entry-level test, contains a couple of

promising Triple Crown hopefuls in SURVIVALIST (Danzig) and ANDROMEDA'S HERO (Fusaichi

Pegasus). The 1 1/8-mile 10TH race, another non-winners of one "other than"

heat, contains recent impressive maiden winner BANDINI (Fusaichi Pegasus) and

VITRUVIAN (Lemon Drop Kid), who recorded a sharp 10 3/4-length score at Belmont

Park last October for trainer Bobby Frankel.

Both allowance races drew 14 runners.