Nearly Dominates Holy Bull Stakes at Gulfstream, Earns 20 Kentucky Derby Points

Nearly drew clear late to win the GIII Holy Bull at Gulfstream Park, stopping the clock in 1:44.52 and piling up 20 points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby. The dark bay or brown colt by Not This Time dominated a field of six, scoring by 5 3/4 lengths over Bravaro and collecting a winner’s share that lifted his bankroll to $249,900.

John R. Velazquez settled Nearly in a stalking position outside early pacesetter Cannoneer, who zipped through opening fractions of 22.82 and 45.96 seconds. Nearly moved alongside the leader turning for home, put his nose in front entering the stretch and "kicked away to win" under Velazquez, producing a decisive two-turn performance in just his stakes debut. The official payoff for Nearly was $5.40 and he went off as the 8-5 second choice.

Trainer Todd A. Pletcher framed the effort as a validation of the colt’s progression. "Two turns, zero problems," Pletcher said. "We kind of talked about it. This was his third race pretty close together and we felt like we'd get the two-turn race under his belt and see where we stood. I think after seeing that today, I'll talk to Don Little and the Centennial [Farm] guys and we'll come up with a plan. But the horse is three-for-three at Gulfstream and there's plenty of time to the Florida Derby. It probably makes sense to take a close look at staying home." Centennial Farms president Don Little Jr. added that the ownership group is patient and pleased to have taken "the first step."

Nearly’s current streak includes three straight wins at Gulfstream, his last three victories coming by a combined 20 lengths. The colt broke his maiden by 9 3/4 lengths on Nov. 22, then won a first-level $75,000 optional claiming race by five lengths on Jan. 2, after finishing sixth in his debut at Aqueduct in October. Bred by Wind Hill Farm in Florida, Nearly was purchased for $350,000 at KEESEP2024 by Centennial Farms and is out of a Not This Time cross. Not This Time stands at Taylor Made Stallions for $250,000 in 2026.

The Holy Bull reshuffles the early Derby picture. Bravaro picked up 10 points for second and Project Ace added 6 points, moving into early qualifying positions. Nearly’s 20 points put him among the front-runners on the leaderboard, tied with other early contenders while the division adjusts to the recent loss of top prospect Ted Noffey from the trail with a bone bruise.

Beyond the immediate sporting result, Nearly’s win highlights several industry threads: the value of Gulfstream as a winter development circuit, the continuing commercial clout of sons of Not This Time, and the economics of buying and training prospects capable of translating high sale prices into graded-stakes returns. Pletcher’s hint that the colt could stay in Florida points to a strategic choice many stables face between building local momentum and shipping for marquee preps.

What comes next for Nearly will be the subject of close attention. Pletcher said he will consult owners before naming a next target, but the performance answered a key question about stamina and two-turn readiness and positioned Nearly as a leading early player on the road to the Kentucky Derby.