The tempo was too sizzling to deal with within the $100,000 Bob Hope Stakes (G3) at Del Mar Nov. 17, which was nothing however excellent news for Bullard as he closed like a freight prepare into the meltdown to emerge with a formidable victory.
The early lead changed into a three-horse duel as longshot Maximus outbroke his 4 rivals and reduce over from the skin gate to the rail. As soon as in that spot, he was instantly hounded by Kalea Bay and McKinzie Road , initially shedding the lead and dropping to 3rd earlier than speeding again as much as take over by means of a gap quarter-mile in :21.63.
By the point the trio reached the three-eighths pole, Maximus and Kalea Bay had been waving the white flag, leaving McKinzie Road to safe the half-mile in a blistering :43.93.
In the meantime, a scarcity of early foot was helpful for Bullard. Trailing a number of lengths behind the sector early by the point they exited the seven-furlong chute and entered the backstretch, jockey Umberto Rispoli bided his time on the even-money favourite. With debut runner Madaket Street a goal forward of him, Rispoli started to uncoil his colt’s run outdoors the quarter pole.
“I used to be wishing (for a quick tempo) earlier than the race,” Rispoli mentioned. “He was somewhat bit off the bridle to start with.”
Surging forward of Madaket Street getting into the stretch, Bullard blew previous a tiring however valiant McKinzie Road and drew off to a 4 3/4-length victory. Madaket Street completed second 2 3/4 lengths forward of McKinzie Road.
Bullard stopped the clock for seven furlongs in 1:22.55 and paid $4.20 to win.
Bullard pulls away from the competitors within the Bob Hope Stakes
“I simply suppose he’s a horse that deserves a bit extra distance,” Rispoli mentioned. “He hacked, he moved, he gallops like a great horse—like an excellent horse. He’s a horse who has proven us who he’s solely at his second begin.
“He wants to determine what is de facto occurring with horse racing. Every thing is about studying for him. As soon as he understands how this all actually works, I feel he’s going to enhance, enhance, and enhance. I do not suppose it was his finest at the moment.”
If his finest is but to return, that’s music to the ears of householders St. Elias Steady, Talla Racing, Three Chimneys Farm, and West Level Thoroughbreds as they bought the colt for $675,000 out of the Denali Stud consignment on the 2023 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. He has now earned again $105,000 by means of his first two begins.
Michael McCarthy’s trainee is shortly incomes the excellence as one of many high closers in his class. Throughout his Sept. 1 debut at Del Mar, he displayed the identical late kick when going from final of seven to first, defeating Kalea Bay by 1 1/4 lengths. He additionally had a fast tempo to chase that day, sitting behind fractions of :21.93 and :45.19 to finish six furlongs in 1:10.32.
McCarthy appeared to agree with Rispoli’s assertion that there’s nonetheless extra expertise to be unveiled as he mirrored on the colt’s exercise schedule between races.
“He had 4 works. It could have been good to have had 5 however he was in a position to get the job completed,” McCarthy mentioned.
Bred in Kentucky by Three Chimneys, Bullard is a son of their flagship stallion Gun Runner . Out of the unraced Warrior’s Reward mare Reve d’Amour , he’s a half brother to stakes winner Mundaye Name .
Bullard is the eleventh particular person graded stakes winner sired by Gun Runner this season. Among the many stallion’s success this 12 months is Breeders’ Cup Basic (G1) winner Sierra Leone and grade 1 winners Gun Pilot , Society , and Vahva . He’ll stand the 2025 season at Three Chimneys for $250,000.
