Beethoven breezes for Holy Bull

John Oxley's three-year-old BEETHOVEN (Sky Mesa), hero of the November 29 Kentucky Jockey Club S. (G2) in his last race, breezed five furlongs in 1:01 3/5 over Gulfstream Park's fast main track on Saturday. The John Ward pupil is gearing up for next Saturday's $150,000 Holy Bull S. (G3) at the track and had jockey Calvin Borel aboard for the move.

Ward indicated he was happy with the bay's drill and declared him ready for his 2009 debut.

"I thought it was a very good work," Ward commented. "He came on well at the end of it and really galloped out strong. Calvin was happy with it. If he's happy with it, I'm happy with it."

The colt's running style during the work was similar to his running style in his most recent races. He gradually picked up speed up the backstretch, stuck close to the rail on the turn, and kicked into gear nicely while straightening into the stretch. His jockey lived up to his reputation as Calvin 'Bo-Rail.'

"This is a colt that really fits Calvin," Ward said. "I told him 'this is your kind of horse. He gives me heart attacks, but he's your kind of horse.' Calvin never rushes a horse away from the pole in a workout. He loves to wait and wait. It makes me worry, but he and this horse eventually turn it on."

It was the second time Borel was in town to work Beethoven, with his previous trip to South Florida coming on January 3.

Beethoven will bid for his third straight victory and second straight stakes win in the 1 1/8-mile Holy Bull. He scored a neck victory in the Kentucky Jockey Club at Churchill Downs and has so far accumulated $99,994 in graded earnings.