Holy Bull contenders put finishing touches on preparations

The

Kiaran McLaughlin-trained Cairo Prince tuned up for a scheduled start in

Saturday's Grade 2, $400,000

Holy Bull Stakes at Gulfstream Park during a sharp half-mile breeze at Palm Meadows in

:48 2/5

Sunday morning.

"We couldn't be happier. It was exactly what we were looking for," McLaughlin

said. "He's ready to go."

Cairo Prince launched his career with a victories in a maiden race at Belmont

and the Nashua at Aqueduct before being nosed out by Honor Code in a memorable

finish to the November 30 Remsen at Aqueduct.

Holy Bull rival Almost Famous also breezed a half-mile in :48 2/5.

"I was very happy with it," trainer Pat Byrne said. "He went up a little quicker than I liked. He worked

on his own from the half-mile pole to the wire and galloped out in 1:02 and

three-quarters in 1:17. He's ready to go Saturday."

Almost Famous is coming off an impressive six-length allowance victory at

Churchill Downs in his first trip around two turns.

"I just put some blinkers on him, just to keep him focused a little, and it

worked," said Byrne, whose colt rebounded from a previously disappointing effort

in the Street Sense.

Almost Famous was forced to scratch from the November 30 Kentucky Jockey Club

Stakes with a hoof bruise. Connections then eyed the January 1 Gulfstream Park

Derby, only to decide to await the Holy Bull.

Calvin Borel, who was aboard for his debut victory at Churchill in September,

will be reunited with Almost Famous on Saturday.

Chad Brown's highly-regarded Coup

de Grace drilled a bullet half-mile in :47 2/5, tying with stablemate Cousin

Stephen for the fastest of 52 works at the distance.

None other than Hall of Famer John Velazquez was aboard Coup de Grace,

according to Daily Racing Form. Velazquez, who is about to launch his

comeback from serious injuries suffered in a spill in the November 2 Breeders'

Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1), will guide the unbeaten colt in his stakes debut in

the Holy Bull.

For trainer Todd Pletcher, Holy Bull candidate Intense Holiday toured an easy

half in :49. He was fourth in both the Nashua and Remsen.

Hard-charging Remsen third Wicked Strong, who has been mentioned as possible

for the Holy Bull, sped five furlongs in 1:00 4/5 for Jimmy Jerkens.

At Payson Park, Dania Beach Stakes winner Mr Speaker breezed a half-mile

Sunday morning in preparation for a scheduled start in the Holy Bull.

"He worked in :49 2/5 and worked great," trainer Shug McGaughey said.

Mr Speaker is set to make his debut on dirt in the 1 1/16-mile Holy Bull after

making his first four starts on turf, including a maiden score at Belmont and

his subsequent victory in his stakes debut in the Dania Beach at Gulfstream

on December 21.

The son of Pulpit is out of Salute, a daughter of undefeated champion Personal

Ensign.

"Pulpit never ran on the turf. Salute never ran on the turf," McGaughey said.

"He's trained good on the dirt."

The final decision to point Mr Speaker to the Holy Bull was made after he worked

behind horses at Payson last week to see how the Phipps Stable's homebred colt

would handle kickback.

"He handled it fine. I just wanted to see how he'd handle the dirt, and he

handled it fine," McGaughey said.

McGaughey has scheduled a work for Top Billing, a lightly raced three-year-old son

of Curlin, at Payson Park on Monday.

Top Billing broke his maiden at first asking at Laurel in December before coming

back a month later in a Gulfstream allowance, in which he closed with a rush to

finished second behind highly-regarded Commissioner by a neck.

Honor Code, the most accomplished McGaughey-trained three-year-old, galloped Sunday

morning at Payson after breezing three furlongs in :38 Saturday

morning.

"I think everything is in good shape," said McGaughey, who is pointing the son

of A.P. Indy to the Grade 2, $400,000 Fountain of Youth at Gulfstream on February

22.

Honor Code concluded his two-year-old campaign with a nose win over Cairo

Prince in the Remsen. He subsequently underwent surgery to remove an undescended testicle.

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