Ky. Derby prep: Hades bedevils Fierceness in Holy Bull

Juvenile Eclipse Award winner Fierceness (1-5) drew all the attention at the betting windows in the Grade 3, $250,000 Holy Bull Stakes at Gulfstream Park, but when the clock stopped in the 1 1/16-mile race it was long shot Hades (9-1) with his nose on the wire.

The favorite broke lackadaisically and was midpack as Hades, trained by Joe Orseno and ridden by Paco Lopez, showed the way, closely shadowed by Inveigled in the field of seven following the scratch of No More Time.

HELL YEAH! #1 HADES ($20.40) looked the 2-year-old champion #7 Fierceness right in the eyes and fought him off easily to win the $250,000 Holy Bull Stakes (GIII). The son of Awesome Slew gets 20 Kentucky Derby points. Paco Lopez was in the irons for Joseph Orseno. pic.twitter.com/dj1CQ3CCU5

— TVG (@TVG) February 3, 2024

Jockey John Velazquez asked Fierceness to improve his position entering the clubhouse turn and he did, improving to third just outside the leading pair but losing ground while in the four path.

That trio remained tightly grouped up the backstretch through fractions of 25.03 and 50.53 seconds until they entered the far turn, when Fierceness poked his head in front of Hades after three-quarters in 1:14.25.

But Hades fought back on the turn and the two raced as one into the stretch as Domestic Product rallied into the picture. Velazquez asked Fierceness for more, but it was Hades who found another gear and put away the chalk by midstretch. Domestic Product also passed Fierceness before the finish, relegating the Todd Pletcher-trained colt to third. 

The winner returned $20.40 for a $2 win bet and keyed an $1 exacta payout of $97.50 with Domestic Product. Running time was 1:46.07.

A gelded Florida-bred son of Awesome Slew out of the Quality Road mare The Shady Lady, Hades kept his record spotless in three starts, following his maiden score and a victory in a first condition allowance race on Dec. 31 for owners D.J. Stable and Robert Cotran.