Nearly secured a convincing victory in the Grade 3 Holy Bull Stakes at Gulfstream Park, earning 20 points toward the Kentucky Derby. The 3-year-old colt, trained by Todd Pletcher and ridden by John Velazquez, dominated the field by 5 3/4 lengths. The win highlights Nearly's potential on the Derby trail following a strong stretch-out to two turns.
On January 31, 2026, Nearly, a son of Not This Time owned by Centennial Farms, captured the GIII Holy Bull Stakes at Gulfstream Park, a key prep race offering points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby. Sent off at 8-5 odds as the second choice behind favorite Cannoneer, Nearly broke sharply to stalk the pace set by Cannoneer through early fractions of :22.82 and :45.96 for the half-mile. The pair dueled into the far turn, where Nearly surged ahead and pulled away in the stretch under a hands-and-heels ride from Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez, completing the 1 1/16 miles in 1:44.52.
This marked Nearly's first stakes win and graded victory, improving his record to 3-0-0 from four starts. He had previously disappointed with a sixth-place finish in his debut at Aqueduct on October 26, 2025, but rebounded with a 9 3/4-length maiden win at Gulfstream on November 22 and a five-length allowance score on January 2, earning a 97 Beyer Speed Figure. "I thought it was going to be a two-horse race, but I didn't think my horse would be that close," Velazquez said. "He got a little aggressive today... This race he elevated to a different level."
Trainer Todd Pletcher, who has won the Holy Bull before with horses like Audible in 2018, praised the performance amid the recent setback of stablemate Ted Noffey, the 2025 Eclipse Award-winning 2-year-old, who was sidelined with bone bruising. "You have ups and downs in this game... We're happy the prognosis is good for a healthy comeback," Pletcher noted, adding that Nearly stands on his own merits. Plans point toward staying at Gulfstream for the GI Curlin Florida Derby on March 29.
Bravaro finished second, 2 1/2 lengths ahead of Project Ace in third, while Cannoneer faded to fourth. The $267,500 race drew a field of six after scratches, underscoring Nearly's authority in his two-turn debut. Past Holy Bull winners like Barbaro (2006) and Tiz the Law (2020) have gone on to Derby success, adding context to this early test.
