Holy Bull was the greatest thoroughbred that I personally saw in action when he raced in and won easily the 1994 Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland. The B Team Syndicate were together in the Keeneland grandstand that afternoon, me still a college undergraduate and with a sizable WIN and PLACE wager on Holy Bull, and we three were unanimous in our astonishment at how alertly he broke from - seemingly through - the starting gate and also at just how well he ran that late April afternoon in Lexington.
I still have my Daily Racing Form from that day, complete with my extensive handicapping notes, sealed up and put away in storage. Funny, those odd things we treasure.
That Holy Bull didn't run well in the slop at Churchill Downs for the Kentucky Derby some three weeks later and took down with him my $100 straight WIN wager (placed under the Twin Spires by Lou who was there to witness the spectacle in person) on that gloomy day of torrential rains never dampened my love for the big gray colt. This demonstrates - I think - a strong, deeply felt sentiment from a cash-strapped college student!
The blistering, unforgiving 1994 Travers Stakes stands as one of Holy Bull's two greatest triumphs. Bonus points for a great race call by track announcer Tom Durkin. The other came when defeating a Kentucky Derby winner and a Belmont Stakes winner in the same thrilling race (1994 Woodward Stakes); "Holy Bull toying with the best horses in training!" [Tom Durkin, again]
Steve Haskin's own tribute, "Farewell to a Friend," was published today by The Blood-Horse and can be found here.
Hail and Farewell, Holy Bull!
