Saratoga Sinner stuns Holy Bull

Lally Stable's SARATOGA SINNER (Harlan's Holiday) wore down pacesetter Bear's Rocket (Lion Heart) in midstretch and edged clear to a three-quarters of a length decision in Saturday's $150,000 Holy Bull S. (G3) at Gulfstream Park. A maiden special weight winner over the track on January 7, the Eddie Kenneally-trained colt made a seamless transition to stakes company and stamped himself as an up-and-coming Kentucky Derby (G1) prospect with the upset at 12-1. Julien Leparoux guided the bay colt, who completed 1 1/8 miles over the fast track in 1:51 2/5.

Canadian shipper Bear's Rocket seized the lead after the start and ripped off early splits in :23 3/5 and :47 4/5, with Saratoga Sinner a length back chasing him in second. The differential was only a half-length after three quarters in 1:12 3/5, and Saratoga Sinner turned up the heat leaving the far turn, catching his rival by the eighth pole. He passed the mile mark in 1:38 1/5 with a head advantage, and gradually increased the margin en route to the wire.

"Everything was good today. Exactly what I wanted," Leparoux said. "We started good, broke good. I just tried to stay with Kent (Desormeaux on Bear's Rocket) the whole time and not lose (touch of him). We didn't have a lot of room. I was just trying to stay in good position. Hopefully, I have a future with him and (will) ride again."

Kenneally considered running Saratoga Sinner in an allowance following the colt's maiden special weight victory, but Leparoux convinced him to try stakes company.

"After he broke his maiden in his last race, Julien came back and said he's even better than he showed," the conditioner explained. "He ran a little green that day. So we decided that we'd go ahead and step him up to this race rather than run back in an allowance race. He's had two wins over the track at 1 1/8 miles, so we'll definitely be pointing for the Florida Derby (G1) (on March 28)."

The fifth choice among 10 sophomores, Saratoga Sinner returned $26.80, $14.20 and $7.40 while keying the $580.80 exacta with 33-1 outsider Bear's Rocket, who gave back $27.80 and $11.40. It was three lengths back to West Side Bernie (Bernstein), who offered a dynamic wide rally to reach contention on the far turn before settling for third. The 5-2 second choice paid $3.60 and capped the $3,884.60 trifecta. Beethoven (Sky Mesa), who closely tracked the pace before weakening in the stretch, came next in fourth at 5-1. The 4-3-10-11 superfecta yielded $10,369.40.

Stately Character (Pleasant Tap), Bruce N Autumn (Lemon Drop Kid), 9-5 favorite Danger to Society (Harlan's Holiday), Rockland (Smarty Jones), El Crespo (A.P. Indy) and Idol Maker (Empire Maker) rounded out the order of finish. Nowhere to Hide (Vindication) was withdrawn.

Bred in Kentucky by Brereton C. Jones, Saratoga Sinner is out of the winning Naughty Linda (Slew City Slew) and has an unnamed juvenile full brother and a yearling half-brother by Ecton Park. After RNA'ing for $45,000 as a weanling at the 2006 Keeneland November sale, the colt brought $130,000 at the following year's Keeneland September sale.

Saratoga Sinner has now earned $116,495 from his 4-2-0-1 line.