Fearless, Mighty Heart Face Off in Harlan's Holiday

Repole Stable's Fearless , who is 3-for-4 at Gulfstream Park, will bid to return to graded stakes-winning form in the $150,000 Harlan's Holiday Stakes (G3) Dec. 15 at the South Florida oval while making his second start off a six-month layoff. In hoping to regain that form, he'll have to defeat Canada's reigning Horse of the Year Mighty Heart , who has traveled south off a graded stakes victory at Woodbine.

Fearless is coming into the 1 1/16-mile stakes for 3-year-olds and up off a second-place finish in the Nov. 21 Miami Gardens overnight handicap, his first defeat at Gulfstream. The 5-year-old Ghostzapper   gelding was the even-money favorite in his first start since finishing third in the May 14 Pimlico Special Match Series Stakes (G3).

"He likes the track and he ran a good race off the layoff, so we're thinking that should set him up good for the Harlan's Holiday," trainer Todd Pletcher said.

Prior to coming up a length short, Fearless had gone 3-for-3 at Gulfstream, including a victory in the Feb. 27 WinStar Gulfstream Park Mile Stakes (G2).

Repole, with West Bloodstock as agent, bought Fearless for $205,000 out of ELiTE's consignment to the Fasig-Tipton July Horses of Racing Age Sale. Pletcher previously trained Fearless for WinStar Farm and China Horse Club.

Due to his large size, Fearless didn't make his career debut until December of his 3-year-old season, capturing a six-furlong maiden special weight race at Gulfstream. He came right back to win a 1 1/16-mile optional claiming allowance at the Hallandale Beach track by 8 1/2 lengths.

"I remember him as a yearling, and the one concern was how big he was," Pletcher said. "Fortunately, he hasn't grown a lot. He was big enough to begin with. He was a horse that the guys at WinStar said was a difficult horse to break and get ready.

"He's been gelded and since then, his behavior has been good and he's been consistent."

Luis Saez is scheduled to ride Fearless for the first time since guiding the Pletcher trainee to victory in his debut. The pair will break from the outside post of six.

Multiple graded stakes winner Mighty Heart looms as a formidable opponent. Lawrence Cordes' homebred is coming off a front-running victory in the Nov. 14 Autumn Stakes (G2) on Woodbine's Tapeta track after finishing fourth in the Oct. 10 Durham Cup Stakes (G3).

"In his prior race, he blew a shoe and didn't show up. We figured something went wrong. Coming back, we were expecting him to run well," trainer Josie Carroll said.

The 4-year-old Dramedy  colt won the 2020 Queen's Plate over Woodbine's Tapeta surface before capturing the Prince of Wales Stakes on dirt at Fort Erie. The Ontario-bred also won the May 29 Blame Stakes at Churchill Downs on dirt.

"He's obviously run well on synthetic, but he's also run really well on dirt. He won the Prince of Wales on dirt. When he ran great at Churchill Downs when he won the Blame. His race at Keeneland (third at the allowance level during the spring meet) was also very good," Carroll said.

Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez is scheduled to ride Mighty Heart, who drew the rail, for the first time in the Harlan's Holiday.

Dec. 4 Claiming Crown Iron Horse victor Blue Steel , Twenty Twice , Eye of a Jedi , who won the March 27 Ghostzapper Stakes (G3) at Gulfstream, and South Bend  complete the field.

Entries: Harlan's Holiday S. (G3)

Gulfstream Park, Saturday, December 18, 2021, Race 9

• Grade III
• 1 1/16m
• Dirt
• $150,000
• 3 yo's & up
• 3:59 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Mighty Heart (ON)	John R. Velazquez	126	Josie Carroll	9/5
2	2Blue Steel (KY)	Paco Lopez	121	Jeff A. Hiles	10/1
3	3Twenty Twice (KY)	Julien R. Leparoux	121	Jack Sisterson	10/1
4	4Eye of a Jedi (KY)	Javier Castellano	123	Steve Budhoo	8/1
5	5South Bend (KY)	Tyler Gaffalione	121	William I. Mott	4/1
6	6Fearless (KY)	Luis Saez	123	Todd A. Pletcher	8/5