Holy Bull fair odds: Big names create value in Derby prep

Holy Bull an important step on Nearly's path to the Derby

With division leader Ted Noffey off the Triple Crown trail, several promising 3-year-olds will attempt to take advantage of the Eclipse Award winner’s absence when seeking to earn important Kentucky Derby qualifying points Saturday at Gulfstream Park in the $275,000 Holy Bull Stakes.

Holy Bull fair odds: Big names create value in Derby prep

The depth of talent in this year's Grade 3 Holy Bull Stakes on Saturday at Gulfstream Park has stoked comparisons to 2006, when Barbaro was the last horse to complete the Holy Bull-Kentucky Derby double. But my handicapping of the race leads to comparisons of another Kentucky Derby winner out of the Holy Bull: Funny Cide in 2003. Now, granted, Funny Cide finished fifth to Offlee Wild in that year's Holy Bull, but he did go on to win the Derby an…