G3 Winner He’s Not Joking Serious Holy Bull (G3) Contender
At 0h03, on January 31, 2025 • By Gulfstream Park
His lone try on dirt inconclusive, Di Scola Boys Stable’s Grade 3 winner He’s Not Joking will get another chance to prove himself over the main track in the $265,000 Holy Bull (G3) at Gulfstream Park.
The 1 1/16-mile Holy Bull is the fourth of five stakes for newly turned 3-year-olds, two graded, worth $925,000 in purses on Saturday’s 12-race program that begins at noon. Following the Jan. 3 Mucho Macho Man, it is the next step for sophomores on Gulfstream’s road to the $1 million Florida Derby (G1) March 29.
In addition, the Holy Bull offers Kentucky Derby (G1) qualifying points to the first five finishers on a 20-10-6-4-2 basis.
He’s Not Joking will be racing for the first time in two months since breaking slowly and enduring traffic trouble in the 1 1/16-mile Kentucky Jockey Club (G2) Nov. 30. It was the Practical Joke colt’s first try on dirt but second straight at two turns after earning graded credentials in the Nov. 3 Grey (G3) on Woodbine’s all-weather course.
“He’s doing really well,” trainer Josie Carroll said. “The race in Kentucky knocked him out a little bit. He got bumped leaving the gate and had a little bit of a rough trip around there and was pretty tired after that. By the time he shipped down here, as well, he was a little bit knocked out, but he’s been training back great. I think we didn’t get a true reading on him on the dirt in that last race, so we feel like he’s a horse that’s earned a shot in this spot.”
He’s Not Joking has had four works this month at Palm Meadows, Gulfstream satellite training facility in Palm Beach County, including a bullet five-furlong move in 1:00.45 Jan. 16.
Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez will be aboard He’s Not Joking for the first time from Post 5 in a field of seven that includes twice Grade 1-placed 9-5 program favorite Ferocious; Mucho Macho Man winner Guns Loaded; and $1 million yearling Tappan Street.
“We’re testing him but we’re not really throwing him to the wolves,” Carroll said. “It came up with a shorter field which I think is very nice in a race like this. It’s exciting to see what he can do.”
