Irish War Cry, Classic Empire Fine After Holy Bull

Trainer Graham Motion reported Feb. 5 that the undefeated Irish War Cry, who posted an upset as the 3 3/4-length winner of the Feb. 4 $350,000 Lambholm South Holy Bull (G2), will remain in Florida at the Palm Meadows Training Center and target Gulfstream Park's Triple Crown preps.

Whether Isabelle de Tomaso's homebred Irish War Cry runs in both the $400,000 Xpressbet.com Fountain of Youth (G2) March 4 and the $1 million Xpressbet.com Florida Derby (G1) April 1 has yet to be determined, but Motion said at the moment he is inclined toward running the lightly raced son of Curlin   in both spots.

For his win in the Holy Bull, Irish War Cry earned 10 points toward a starting berth in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1) at Churchill Downs May 6.

"We have to decide if we run in both races down here and how we go about it," Motion said. "I think there is a good shot that he will do both. I guess we'll see how things go. I just feel like I've thrown a lot at this horse in a short period of time, and that is the only reason that I have some reservations about both races. But we'll keep him in Florida, because it makes sense. We're not going to get too clever about it, and I see no reason to go anywhere else." 

The 1 1/16-mile Holy Bull was just the third start for the New Jersey-bred, who entered the race undefeated. He began his career at Laurel Park Nov. 11, when he won a maiden special weight race by 4 1/2 lengths. He returned Dec. 31 to capture the Marylander Stakes at Laurel by a hard-fought nose.

In winning the Holy Bull, Irish War Cry defeated six rivals, including last year's champion 2-year-old male and Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) winner, Classic Empire, the 1-2 favorite who finished third, five lengths behind the runner-up, Gunnevera.

WINCZE HUGHES: Irish War Cry Scores Upset in Holy Bull

"You always hope you can win, but you don't necessarily expect to win like that, especially when you're running against the 2-year-old champion," Motion said.

Trainer Mark Casse was at a loss to explain Classic Empire's defeat in the Holy Bull as the odds-on choice, but said last year's 2-year-old champion was fretful during the Saturday van ride from Palm Meadows Training Center in Palm Beach to Gulfstream Park.

"He's fine today," Casse said Sunday morning of Classic Empire, who was washy in the post parade and reluctant to enter the starting gate. "Yesterday morning he was as happy and good as I've ever seen him. He just did not take the trip down there well. He's run in the Bashford Manor (G3) with the crowd and the lights, and we flew him to the Breeders' Cup, and those things didn't bother him, but yesterday was the first time he ever had to ship and run (in the same day).

"He's shipped all the time and never fretted before, but yesterday he really fretted. I don't know what was going on with him. Yesterday was also the first time I ever saw him balk about going into the gate. This horse wasn't happy yesterday and we really don't have a good answer. He ate last night. He's happy as he can be now, standing in his stall."

While Casse has not mapped out any plans for the next start for John Oxley's Classic Empire, he said it's unlikely the son of Pioneerof the Nile   will run back at Gulfstream.

"I would say more than likely you won't see him back at Gulfstream again," he said. "We're already thinking about where we want to go, but wherever it is it will be somewhere he will train a little bit there before he runs. Yesterday came as a complete surprise to us, but the battle is far from over."