Two days after seeing 2-year-old male champion Ted Noffey knocked off the Kentucky Derby (G1) trail due to injury, Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher sent out another talented 3-year-old on the classic trail.
Centennial Farms' Nearly produced his third straight impressive victory at Gulfstream Park to defeat five other 3-year-olds Jan. 31 in the 1 1/16-mile, $267,500 Holy Bull Stakes (G3). The Florida-bred son of Not This Time thus earned 20 qualifying points for the May 2 Run for the Roses.
Nearly's 5 3/4-length victory in 1:44.52 made him a logical Derby contender to replace Ted Noffey, whose owner, Spendthrift Farm, announced Jan. 29 as sidelined with bone bruising. While it looks that way from afar, Pletcher noted a different feeling in the stable.
"I don't really look at it like this one replaces that one," Pletcher said of his two colts. "It's just this horse has been doing well on its own, and we had high hopes for him. We're happy to have him."
Nearly, out of the Mineshaft mare Ib Prospecting, won his previous two starts by a combined 14 1/4 lengths after a sixth-place finish in his first-out race Oct. 26 during the Belmont at the Big A meet.
He broke well Saturday under John Velazquez, remaining to the outside of leader and 3-2 favorite Cannoneer, who set fractions of :22.82 and :45.96 before Nearly poked his head in front for the first time after 6 furlongs in 1:10.32.
"We wanted to get to the first turn forwardly, not necessarily on the lead but in a good stalking position," Pletcher said. "He kind of broke inward a little bit, recovered. Those two went to the first turn. They were clicking right along, and it looked like he got into a good rhythm."
Pletcher won the Holy Bull for the third time, while Velazquez notched his second victory in the race.
Centennial Farms co-owner and president Don Little Jr. admitted concern when the horses were on the backstretch.
"To be honest with you, when I saw the first two splits, I was a little bit nervous," said Little, whose group includes 18 partners for Nearly. "But I figured the way he was training, he's going to stay.
"And then when Johnny asked him three-quarters of the way around the turn, even I told partners, 'He's got this, no problem.'"
Cannoneer, ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr., is owned by St. Elias Stable and Stonestreet Stables and trained by Brad Cox. Nearly, the second choice at 8-5, kicked clear of Cannoneer approaching the quarter pole, and Bravaro briefly appeared to threaten to the outside.
"I was a little worried who might be closing from behind because they went pretty fast together early," Pletcher said, "but it looked like he kind of turned for home and had a lot of horse under him."
Velazquez believes Nearly, who paid $5.40 to win, matured in this race,
"He got a little aggressive today. He was never like that," Velazquez said. "Normally, it takes him a little while to get his legs under him, but today he was there right away.
"This race he elevated to a different level. I didn't expect him to be that aggressive, but that's what good horses do."
Bravaro and jockey Tyler Gaffalione finished second to earn 10 Kentucky Derby qualifying points, with Project Ace and Corey Lanerie 2 3/4 lengths behind in third (6 points). Cannoneer was fourth (4 points), followed by Global Aviator and Joe Bravo (2 points), and Incredibolt and Jaime Torres (no points).
Churchill Downs officials use qualifying points as a preference system when the race oversubscribes beyond its 20-horse maximum field size.
Little and Pletcher both said Nearly's likely next start will be in the March 28 Florida Derby (G1) at Gulfstream. Pletcher, a two-time Kentucky Derby-winning trainer, has won the Florida Derby a record eight times.
Nearly, bred in Florida by Wind Hill Farm, was a $350,000 purchase by Centennial Farms from the Denali Stud consignment to the 2024 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. He became the 70th black-type winner for Not This Time, who stands for $250,000 this year at Taylor Made Stallions in Kentucky.
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Solitude Dude Remains Perfect With Swale Romp
Earlier during the card, Chris Fountoukis' Solitude Dude improved to 3-for-3 in taking the $150,000 Swale Stakes over 7 furlongs in a front-running, dominant performance that could earn him a route opportunity in a Kentucky Derby prep. The 3-year-old Yaupon colt was timed in 1:23.46, returning $2.40 as the overwhelming favorite.
"The horse is a good horse. I think the horse is a high-quality horse. I think he has grade 1 ability," said trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. "Will he win a grade 1 around two turns? I don't know about that. Time will tell if we'll even try it, but he has grade 1 ability at a mile or less."
If Joseph elects to try Solitude Dude at a route, the most likely target is the Feb. 28 Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2) over 1 1/16 miles at Gulfstream.
The Pletcher-trained debut winner Class President ran second in the Swale, 1 3/4 lengths ahead of Joseph-trained Hammond in third.
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