Blinkers on for Lord Miles in Saturday’s Holy Bull
At 0h53, on February 4, 2023 • By GULFSTREAM
Vegso Racing Stable’s Lord Miles and Gentry Farms’ West Coast Cowboy are scheduled to represent Saffie Joseph Jr. in Saturday’s $250,000 Holy Bull (G3) at Gulfstream Park in the defending Championship Meet training titlist’s quest to win the 1 1/16-mile Triple Crown prep in back-to-back years.
Joseph saddled White Abarrio for a 4 ½-length victory in the Holy Bull last season prior to the striking gray colt’s triumph in the $1 million Curlin Florida Derby (G1).
The Holy Bull will headline a 12-race program featuring five graded-stakes for 3-year-olds.
Lord Miles, who captured his Nov. 19 debut in eye-catching fashion, dropped back after an alert start in his subsequent appearance in the Jan. 1 Mucho Macho Man before making a late stretch surge to finish third, only three-quarters of a length behind first-place finisher Legacy Isle, who would be disqualified for drifting out and placed second.
“The last time he had a lot to do. He didn’t run a complete race,” Joseph said. “We’re putting some blinkers on him. Hopefully, they’ll make a difference.”
Lord Miles, a homebred son of Curlin, had previously overcome bumping on the backstretch to score going away by 5 2/4 lengths after a four-wide sweep into the stretch.
Irad Ortiz Jr. is scheduled to ride Lord Miles for the first time. The Joseph trainee will break from the No. 1 post position.
