Conquistador Cielo, Holy Bull Took Flight in Met Mile

The Metropolitan Handicap (G1) was first run in 1891 at Morris Park Racetrack. In 1904, the race shifted to Belmont Park, where except for a smattering of years, it has been contested. Once the opening event in the New York Handicap Triple series (followed by the Suburban and Brooklyn), the Met Mile continues into its third century as one of the nation’s premiere one-mile events. Over the years, the race also has been a proving ground for ambitious 3-year-olds to first take on older challengers.

Here’s a look back at a pair of champions, both bred in Florida, who as 3-year-olds used the Met Mile to launch their remarkable careers.

In 1982, Henryk de Kwiatkowski’s 3-year-old Conquistador Cielo took on a deep group of older horses in the Metropolitan Mile.

The Woody Stephens-trained colt sprang from the starting gate beneath jockey Eddie Maple and battled for the lead three-wide through hotly contested fractions of :22 4/5 for the opening quarter-mile and 45 for the half-mile. Midway on the far turn, the son of Mr. Prospector suddenly stepped away from his 13 rivals with a burst of speed.

Turning for home after racing  six furlongs in 1:09, Conquistador Cielo, who had opened up four lengths on his closest competitor, continued to widen his margin under intermittent right-handed encouragement. He hit the wire 7 ¾-lengths clear.

The final time was 1:33, setting a track record at Belmont Park on a day when the racing surface hadn’t been playing particularly fast. The colt’s last two quarter-mile splits were each run in 24 seconds.

“I didn’t know that he could do that. But I had an idea that he could. He got in light (weight allowance) taking on older horses” said Hall of Fame rider Eddie Maple, who, along with his wife Kate, currently operates Rose Hill Stables in Bluffton, S.C. “Those fast (opening) quarters took their toll. (After opening up on the turn), there was no sense in taking him back. I was about to find out how good a miler he really was.”

Just five days later, Conquistador Cielo demolished a field of fellow 3-year-olds in the Belmont Stakes (G1) with a 14-length romp over the sloppy, rain-soaked surface. The only change was that Lafitt Pincay Jr. was in the saddle this time as Maple had injured himself in a spill during the interim.

So Pincay hopped a jet from California to become a passenger aboard an equine Cadillac motoring through the Long Island slop. That victory in the Belmont Stakes gave Stephens his first of five consecutive wins in the event. Conquistador Cielo was named 1982’s champion 3-year-old male and Horse of the Year.

On June 8^th, Holy Bull passed away at Jonabell Farm in Lexington, his home since being retired to stud in 1995. He was 26. The Bull gave his loyal fans—known as Bullmaniacs—plenty to cheer about during his racing days. And the start of his sustained streak of brilliance as a 3-year-old began in the Metropolitan Mile.  

After running a disappointing 12^th as favorite in the 1994 Kentucky Derby (G1), the Jimmy Croll-owned-and-trained Holy Bull entered the Met Mile trying to recapture his swagger as a racehorse.

Away from the gate, Holy Bull and rider Mike Smith immediately seized the lead on his elders, including Devil His Due and Belmont Stakes winner Colonial Affair. Holy Bull maintained his advantage after a sharp opening quarter-mile of :22.93, and a half-mile in 45.14.

Track announcer Tom Durkin announced, “He blazes the way into the far turn leading by a length.”

Spinning into the stretch, Cherokee Run advanced three-wide with serious momentum, ready to uncork the type of rally that would land him in the winner’s circle of the Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) later that year.

The pair were nearly shoulder-to shoulder in upper stretch when Holy Bull rebroke, kicking it into another gear and pulling away from his on-rushing challenger.

“It’s Holy Bull, hand-ridden by Mike Smith,” said Durkin, as the gray/roan colt streaked through the final furlong, virtually unopposed.  “And he’ll go on to a magnificent Met Mile. Holy Bull by five.”

Holy Bull officially won by 5 ½ lengths, stopped the timer in 1:33.8, and earned a spectacular 122 Beyer Speed Figure.

“Honestly, I knew he wasn’t getting beat that day. He was coming off of that poor performance in the Derby. So some might have taken him lightly. I had just cruised up to that point (when Cherokee Run approached us). Going into the race, I knew what he was capable of,” Smith said. “He won like ‘the Bull’ that day. In his time, I think he could have beat anyone, and do it in Bull-fashion.”

That Met Mile win would catapult him to triumphs in the Dwyer Stakes (G2), Haskell Invitational Stakes (G1), Travers Stakes (G1) and Woodward Stakes (G1).

Just like Conquistador Cielo had done 12 years earlier, Holy Bull would be named 1994’s champion 3-year-old male and Horse of the Year.

Other 3-year-olds to win the Met Mile include: Honour and Glory 1996, Dixie Brass 1992, Gulch 1987 (repeated in 1988), Arts and Letters 1969, Sword Dancer 1959, Greek Ship 1950, Knickerbocker 1939, Laurano 1924, Wildair 1920, Tromp Le Mort 1918, Sysonby (DH) 1905, Arsenal 1902, Bowling Brook 1898, Voter 1897 and Tristan 1891.