Rocket Can Wins Holy Bull Stakes: Rocket Can secured valuable Road to the 2023 Kentucky Derby points by winning the Holy Bull Stakes on Saturday at the Gulfstream Park. Rocket Can, who was ridden by Junior Alvarado, checked in at a relatively slow time of one minute and 44.97 seconds in a 1 1/16-mile race. The horse’s victory was the slowest time since it went back to its current distance in 2012, according to the best online betting picks in horseracing.
Second Win for Trainer Bill Mott in Two Weeks
Rocket Can (5-2) gained 20 points in the Road to the 2023 Kentucky Derby in the USD250,000 Holy Bull Stakes and handed Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott his second win in two weeks. He guided Art Collector to a first-place finish in the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup Invitational. The Frank Fletcher-owned colt broke from the far outside post in the eight-horse field. He was caught wide around the first turn and Alvarado kept the son of Into Mischief on the outside. This allowed Mr. Bob to take the lead along the backstretch.
However, Rocket Can made a move to the lead approaching the homestretch and held on to win the race ahead of Jose Ortiz-ridden Shadow Dragon (30-1). West Coast Cowboy (50-1) finished third and Legacy Isle came in fourth. Il Miracolo, Lord Miles, favorite Cyclone Mischief and Mr. Bob completed the order. Rocket Can’s win boosted the trainer’s confidence that it can run at longer distances. A month later, Gulfstream will hold the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth Stakes on March 4. The race is part of the Road to the Florida Derby.
Rocket Can Wins Holy Bull Stakes: Newgate Wins Robert B. Lewis Stakes
Newgate took home the win in the USD200,000 Robert B. Lewis Stakes Race on Saturday at Santa Anita Park in California. The favorite, trained by Bob Baffert, defeated longshot Hard to Figure by a neck. The three-year-old son of Into Mischief finished the 1 1/16-mile race at 1:43.11. Newgate, who was ridden by Frankie Dettori, managed to run past leaders Arabian Lion and Hard to Figure in the quarter pole en route to a victory. The three-year-old took home the winner’s share of USD120,000 and increased his earnings to USD241,975. Hard to Figure finished second while Worcester came in third and Arabian Lion checked in last in the four-horse field. The ongoing Churchill Downs suspension on Baffert made him ineligible for Kentucky Derby qualifying points, online horseracing picks and parlays that cover pre-Kentucky Derby races reported.
