A promising colt named Canaletto made an impressive debut at Gulfstream Park, winning by eight lengths and sparking early Kentucky Derby buzz. Upcoming races like the Holy Bull and Southwest Stakes feature strong fields of contenders vying for qualifying points. These events highlight the intensifying path to Churchill Downs in May.
On January 25, Canaletto, a strapping son of Into Mischief and half-brother to Grade 1 winner Sandman, debuted at Gulfstream Park as the 7-5 favorite in a one-mile maiden race. The $1 million yearling purchase, trained by Chad Brown and ridden by Flavien Prat, showed early speed from an outside post and overcame a challenge to romp home by eight lengths in 1:36.28. Despite some greenness down the stretch, the athletic bay's performance immediately positions him as a potential Derby contender, with the Grade 3 Tampa Bay Derby on March 7 as a possible next target.
Gulfstream Park hosts the Grade 3 Holy Bull Stakes on Saturday over 1 1/16 miles, drawing a field of nine that may scratch to seven. Todd Pletcher's Nearly, a son of Not This Time with two straight wins on the track, could be favored despite untested distance. Brad Cox's Cannoneer, another Into Mischief colt, returns off a strong maiden victory at Churchill Downs. Riley Mott's Incredibolt brings graded experience after winning the Street Sense Stakes (G3) at Churchill Downs, while Saffie Joseph Jr.'s unbeaten New York-bred Bravaro lurks as a sleeper.
At Oaklawn, the $1 million Grade 3 Southwest Stakes over 8 1/2 furlongs attracted 14 entrants. Bob Baffert's Litmus Test, a Nyquist colt, finished fourth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile before winning the Los Alamitos Futurity (G2). Mark Casse's Strategic Risk, son of Noble Bird, seeks a third straight victory after stakes wins at Gulfstream and Oaklawn. Other notables include the lightly raced D'code, who dominated a maiden sprint at Oaklawn, and Steve Asmussen's Soldier N Diplomat, third in the Kentucky Jockey Club (G2).
The Withers Stakes at Aqueduct, to be drawn Tuesday, offers an early nine-furlong test, likely led by Chad Brown's Ottinho, who broke his maiden at the distance on New Year's Eve. Meanwhile, Six Speed wired the field in the Grade 3 UAE Guineas at Meydan on Friday, earning 20 points toward the UAE Derby with his third Dubai win.
