I absolutely love this horse

[PaceAdvantage]

Can never get enough of him...I think I've seen this video before, stumbled across it just now and thought I'd post it up...with the recent passing of Devil His Due, I know my boy's days are probably numbered...and it's going to be a very sad day around here when he goes...hope you're still loving life my friend - hope I get to see you again one day.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oP24MB_uFnU

[PaceAdvantage]

I was there that day at Belmont for the 1994 Woodward. I've never had the chills run down my spine again like I did that day when he came thundering down the stretch, and the crowd went absolutely nuts...they "only" had 25-26,000 there that day, but I swear they were as loud, and the grandstand was shaking just as much as any Belmont Stakes day. The 1994 Woodward was my most memorable live moment in the game (and I was there for American Pharoah's Triple Crown win, which tells you something).

[dilanesp]

You might enjoy this, PA:

http://www.nytimes.com/1994/09/18/sports/horse-racing-holy-bull-romps-by-5-lengths-in-a-bid-to-be-no-1.html

[Fager Fan]

I was a huge fan too. I was very upset when he pulled up injured in his last race. I suppose what made it better for me, in addition to the Bull being ultimately ok, was that it was the beginning of Cigar's reign and I happily immersed myself into that one.

[cj]

Only time I saw him run in person was his first race, and of course didn't know what I was seeing at the time.

[GMB@BP]

Waiting for the NYRA review of his race. andy and mig been doing the bigger belmonts and mets the past week or so the past 30 years or so.

[Broad Brush]

I was there that day at Belmont for the 1994 Woodward. I've never had the chills run down my spine again like I did that day when he came thundering down the stretch, and the crowd went absolutely nuts...they "only" had 25-26,000 there that day, but I swear they were as loud, and the grandstand was shaking just as much as any Belmont Stakes day. The 1994 Woodward was my most memorable live moment in the game (and I was there for American Pharoah's Triple Crown win, which tells you something).

Go see him if you can. I was going to go visit Broad Brush on April 26--
his foal date and decided to wait until the weather was better.
They put him down just a few weeks later on the Friday before Rachel
won the Preakness. The "Bull" was terrific in the Woodward that day.
That and the Travers---"and there is cause for Concern".

[Fager Fan]

They've taken good care of him at Darley. The injury that stopped his racing career was always an issue for him. In addition, like a lot of grays, he has some unsightly tumors, one huge one on his rear end that makes you wonder how he manages to poop. Other than that, he looks pretty fantastic.

[Tom]

Free lifetime PPs for DHD in this week's Dan Illman column


http://www.drf.com/blogs/dolphus-continues-ascent


Tri down memory lane looking these old race - I spent 1/2 and hour enjoying them.

[CincyHorseplayer]

I missed him by 2 years! Got into this in mid 90's. My first year was during the Cigar streak. Watched the whole vid though. Amazing.

[PaceAdvantage]

I started getting into racing in 1986-1987....then came Sunday Silence vs. Easy Goer in 1989 (SS is my second favorite horse behind HB)...less than 5 years later, along comes Holy Bull...what a great time to be sinking your teeth into this game.

[JustRalph]

Don't see those fractions anymore

[ronsmac]

Can never get enough of him...I think I've seen this video before, stumbled across it just now and thought I'd post it up...with the recent passing of Devil His Due, I know my boy's days are probably numbered...and it's going to be a very sad day around here when he goes...hope you're still loving life my friend - hope I get to see you again one day.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oP24MB_uFnUHoly Bull is one of my favorites . Croll not putting up the money to run in the Breeders Cup was a huge disappointment. 1994 was one of the weakest years for older horses and Holy Bull would have been odds on. When Concern and Tabasco Cat ran 1-2 followed by two other 3yos , I felt the Bull was robbed of a chance to be an all time great.

[dilanesp]

Holy Bull is one of my favorites . Croll not putting up the money to run in the Breeders Cup was a huge disappointment. 1994 was one of the weakest years for older horses and Holy Bull would have been odds on. When Concern and Tabasco Cat ran 1-2 followed by two other 3yos , I felt the Bull was robbed of a chance to be an all time great.

I think it is quite likely that HB would have lost. He hated 1 1/4 miles in a big field. The one time he did win at that distance, his final 1/4 was painfully slow. The other time he ran it, he got dead tired and ran the worst race of his life.

It would have been the sporting thing to do to run, but it would have been a great spot to bet against him. His best distance was 9 furlongs.

[PaceAdvantage]

I think it is quite likely that HB would have lost. He hated 1 1/4 miles in a big field. The one time he did win at that distance, his final 1/4 was painfully slow.The only reason it might have been quite likely he would have lost would be Doc Harthill, again at CD...but hopefully Croll would have wised up by then.

His painfully slow final 1/4 was after engaging the Lukas rabbit through a first quarter in :22 4/5 and six furlongs in 1:10 3/5. You find me a 3yo these days who can duel the first quarter in 22 and change and six furlongs in 1:10 and change, in a mile and a quarter G1 race, and still win in the end...over the EVENTUAL BC Classic winner.

[ronsmac]

I think it is quite likely that HB would have lost. He hated 1 1/4 miles in a big field. The one time he did win at that distance, his final 1/4 was painfully slow. The other time he ran it, he got dead tired and ran the worst race of his life.

It would have been the sporting thing to do to run, but it would have been a great spot to bet against him. His best distance was 9 furlongs.Yes he hated the distance so much that he put away a rabbit and held off the breeders cup champ at1 1/4 miles. Absolutely hated it.

[ronsmac]

The only reason it might have been quite likely he would have lost would be Doc Harthill, again at CD...but hopefully Croll would have wised up by then.

His painfully slow final 1/4 was after engaging the Lukas rabbit through a first quarter in :22 4/5 and six furlongs in 1:10 3/5. You find me a 3yo these days who can duel the first quarter in 22 and change and six furlongs in 1:10 and change, in a mile and a quarter G1 race, and still win in the end...over the EVENTUAL BC Classic winner.
Oops. I didn't see your post.

[dilanesp]

He won the Travers because Concern actually didn't run that well. HE should have been able to run the last 1/4 faster than 27 and change. Had the closers fired, HB gets his behind kicked in that race.

The closers fired in the BC Classic.

[PaceAdvantage]

Yeah, I know...Concern ran like crap in the Travers...:rolleyes:

[ronsmac]

He won the Travers because Concern actually didn't run that well. HE should have been able to run the last 1/4 faster than 27 and change. Had the closers fired, HB gets his behind kicked in that race.

The closers fired in the BC Classic.Holy Bull ran the final quarter in 26.06 according to Equibase. I'd estimate Concerns final quarter at about 25.40. The race received a 115 Beyer which was higher than that years Classic when Concern was 2 1/2 months more mature and carrying 122 vs the 126 he carried in the Travers if you're into weight at all. I'm the first to admit that speed figures at rarely run distances can be wildly inaccurate though. An example of differences of opinion on numbers were Brown and Ragozin. Brown said Cigar was clearly faster than Holy Bull, but a Ragozin representative said Holy Bull was faster than Cigar. The debate will go on forever.

[Grits]

He was so kind, so curious, when I visited him years ago. I spent a couple of hours with him, sitting on the ground by his paddock. No one around that afternoon. The barn help, myself, and Holy Bull. One special animal.

Then, I found someone that really, really loves him. ;)

[Dahoss9698]

He won the Travers because Concern actually didn't run that well. HE should have been able to run the last 1/4 faster than 27 and change. Had the closers fired, HB gets his behind kicked in that race.

The closers fired in the BC Classic.

It's cool to be contrarian and all, but come on. This is either trolling or a horrible opinion. Or both.

[ReplayRandall]

He won the Travers because Concern actually didn't run that well. HE should have been able to run the last 1/4 faster than 27 and change. Had the closers fired, HB gets his behind kicked in that race.

The closers fired in the BC Classic.

Don't know where you got 27 and change from:

SARATOGA - August 20, 1994 - Race 7
STAKES Travers S. Grade 1 - Thoroughbred
One And One Fourth Miles On The Dirt

Fractional Times:
22.83 46.35 1:10.43 1:35.97
Final Time:
2:02.03
Split Times:
(23:52) (24:08) (25:54)(26:06)

https://www.equibase.com/premium/eqbPDFChartPlus.cfm?RACE=7&BorP=P&TID=SAR&CTRY=USA&DT=08/20/1994&DAY=D&STYLE=EQB

[PaceAdvantage]

Actually, that final 1/4 is a little more impressive now that I look at it again, since he only went a little over .5 second slower than the preceding one...if he truly was collapsing at the end, it should have been at least 27 seconds...

[GMB@BP]

Holy Bull's Travers was one of the great events in that races history. Beating Concern and also dismantled a Belmont winner with that setup.

And at a Mile....would love to see him face a Ghostzapper like talent.

[cj]

Holy Bull's Travers was one of the great events in that races history. Beating Concern and also dismantled a Belmont winner with that setup.

And at a Mile....would love to see him face a Ghostzapper like talent.

Unaccounted For was no slouch either.

[picojim]

RIP

[reckless]

I was there that day at Belmont for the 1994 Woodward. I've never had the chills run down my spine again like I did that day when he came thundering down the stretch, and the crowd went absolutely nuts...they "only" had 25-26,000 there that day, but I swear they were as loud, and the grandstand was shaking just as much as any Belmont Stakes day. The 1994 Woodward was my most memorable live moment in the game (and I was there for American Pharoah's Triple Crown win, which tells you something).

I remember the pre-race 'buzz' in a very crowded paddock and the loud thundering applause down the stretch, too Mike.