Zayat Stables’ Black N Beauty probably earned himself a ticket to the $400,000 Holy Bull Stakes (gr. III) with a solid victory in a $51,500 allowance test for 3-year-olds at Gulfstream Park Jan. 7 (VIDEO).
Ridden by Kent Desormeaux, the 3-year-old Ontario-bred colt by Devil His Due led throughout in the one-mile test around one turn to win by 2 1/2 lengths. Printing Press rallied from slightly off the pace to finish second, while favored Shadow Warrior finished third.
The fractions were :24.20, :49.91, 1:12.02, and 1:37.48 for the mile. Black N Beauty, a winner in his career debut at Churchill Downs in November as a 2-year-old, paid $7.80 to win.
“He’s one of those horses who goes to fast, seemingly, and then takes off,” Desormeaux told Gulfstream officials after the race. “So, yes, he’s very talented. He goes at a speedy canter. Most horses are fighting to go as fast. His natural cruising speed will drive most horses into the ground—that’s a sign of true talent.”
The Holy Bull Stakes, also at one mile on the dirt, is scheduled for Jan. 30 at the Florida racetrack, and trainer Dale Romans indicated Black N Beauty’s performance Jan. 7 was good enough for the colt to move on to the major stakes.
“We said before the race that if he won and did it the right way, we would go on and bring him back three weeks later in the Holy Bull,” Romans said. “Naturally, we’ll talk to (owner Ahmed) Zayat, but that looks like the way we’ll go.”
Black N Beauty was purchased as a yearling at the 2009 Keeneland September yearling sale for $2,500.
“I wish I could take credit for it, but I had nothing to do with it,” Romans said. “They said he was one of the last in the ring and went with no reserve, and they would have paid a lot more.”
