The Warren Croll trained Holy Bull’s legacy still continues with his future generations
Holy Bull had a tremendous career, and saw a fair share of success in his time. Trained and owned by Warren Croll, the runner has an overall record of 13-0-0 from 16 starts. Had he not retired, the number of his victories would have increased without
a doubt.
The son of Great above was a success from the day he started racing and, it wasn’t dumb luck, as he competed in four starts as a two-year-old and excelled in all four. As a juvenile, he secured the Grade 1 Futurity Stakes at Belmont Park, which not
every runner could achieve.
Foaled by mare Sharon Brown, the runner’s sophomore career was just as successful, and he kept on adding impressive victories to his record.
The dirt runner started his season with a victory in the Grade 2 Hutcheson Stakes at Gulfstream Park, but lost a bit of his initial fervour when he finished sixth in the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth Stakes. However, recovery was not far from him and he
bounced back in no time.
The grey horse secured back-to-back victories in the Grade 1 Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park and the Grade 2 Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland.
Having been overly successful on his Kentucky Derby trail, it looked that the runner would conquer the first leg of the Triple Crown but unfortunately, that was the dream that could not be fulfilled as he finished a dismal 12th in the ‘Run
for the Roses’.
After the 12th place finish, he returned to his winning form and won six more graded races, including the Grade 2 Dwyer Stakes, the Grade 1 Haskell Invitational and the Grade 1 Travers Stakes.
The runner was retired after he finished ninth in the Grade 1 Donn Handicap in February 1995, at Gulfstream Park but was named the champion 3-year-old and Horse of the Year.
Holy Bull was great, yes, but he could have been greater. He never competed in the Breeders’ Cup and Preakness or the Belmont Stakes. With his talent, it would seem that he could have easily aced those races, but he did enough in his career to be remembered
as a great horse. He has sired 45 stakes winners to date.
Holy Bull may have retired now, but his legacy still continues as his grand-son Mucho Macho Man won the Suburban Handicap at the Belmont Park on the day he was retired. Holy Bull had an incredible career, but if he had the opportunity, he would certainly
have exceeded expectations.
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