THINGS changed rapidly last week on the US classic scene as the first of the Kentucky Derby trials approached and suddenly from having a dominant player in the unbeaten champion juvenile Ted Noffey, it was a wide-open playing field.

Ted Noffey was knocked off the Kentucky Derby and Triple Crown trail due to a bone bruising injury and one of the first to step up was another Todd Pletcher-trained contender in Nearly.

The Not This Time colt responded well to run out a five-and-three-quarter-length winner of the Grade 3 Holy Bull Stakes at Gulfstream Park last Saturday.

Nearly produced his third straight impressive victory to beat five other colts, the Florida-bred earned 20 qualifying points for the May 2nd Run for the Roses.

The dark bay colt out of the Mineshaft mare Ib Prospecting, was a $350,000 purchase by owners Centennial Farms at Keeneland September sales, and had won his previous two starts by a combined 14 and quarter lengths, on November 22nd and January 2nd, after a sixth-place finish in his debut at Aqueduct in October.

The favourite Cannoneer set fast early fractions before Nearly led after six furlongs in 1m10.32secs. He took it up on the final bend and stayed on strongly for his third victory in a row at Gulfstream.

“We wanted to get to the first turn forwardly, not necessarily on the lead but in a good stalking position. They were clicking right along, and it looked like he got into a good rhythm,” Pletcher was quoted saying.

Aggressive

“He got a little aggressive today. He was never like that,” his jockey John Velazquez added. “Normally, it takes him a little while to get his legs under him, but today he was there right away. This race he elevated to a different level. I didn’t expect him to be that aggressive, but that’s what good horses do.”

He heads the Road to Kentucky leader board on 20 points along with the Grade 3 Lecomte Stakes from Fair Grounds in January, Golden Tempo, trained by Cherie DeVaux.

Pletcher said on Blood-Horse the next day: “We thought it was a really strong performance. Now that he handled that, we’re probably in a position where we can give him a little extra time for the next one.”

Nearly is likely to train up to the $1 million Grade 1 Florida Derby on March 28th

“ I think the Florida Derby would be a logical target, but we’ll see how he does and how he bounces back, which will kind of dictate what we do,” Pletcher added.

Browne McMonagle in winning mood

IT had a winner a day over the Hong Kong venues for Dylan Browne McMonagle and he landed a double at last Sunday’s Sha Tin meeting. In the five-furlong handicap, he partnered Master Lucky to a neck success for trainer John Size. He then won the mile race on Blazing Wukong for Rikcy Yiu. It was following up a win last Wednesday week at Happy Valley on the David Hayes-trained Romantic Son in a handicap.