Champion, Hall of Famer Holy Bull Euthanized

Holy Bull (Great Above–Sharon Brown, by Al Hattab), champion 3-year-old and Horse of the Year in 1994 and sire of six Grade I winners, was euthanized Wednesday, June 7, at Jonabell Farm owing to the infirmities of old age. Holy Bull, who was 26 years old, had been pensioned from stud duty in 2012.

The gray colt was originally owned by Rachel Carpenter, who bequeathed all her horses to trainer Jimmy Croll, who was the owner of 'the Bull' when he made his first trip to the races at Croll's Monmouth Park base in August 1993. The Florida-bred was perfect in four starts at two, including a defeat of champion Dehere (Deputy Minister) in the GI Futurity S. Winner of the GI Florida Derby and GII Blue Grass S., Holy Bull was the 22-10 favorite for the 1994 GI Kentucky Derby, but never traveled over the sloppy strip and finished 12th. His championship season resumed with a defeat of elders in the GI Met Mile before defeating his peers in the GI Haskell H. and GI Travers S. Put away for the year following a five-length defeat of older males in the GI Woodward S., Holy Bull defeated Birdonthewire in the 1995 Olympic H., but, facing off for the first time in his career with Cigar (Palace Music), was abruptly pulled up in the GI Donn H. and was retired to Jonabell with 13 wins from 16 starts and earnings of $2,481,760. He was ridden by Mike Smith in every start bar his career debut and was inducted into racing's Hall of Fame in 2001.

Holy Bull was the sire of 48 black-type winners, six at Grade I level and 16 graded stakes winners, including Giacomo, victorious in the 2005 Kentucky Derby. His progeny have earned nearly $62 million to date.

“If you were putting together your fantasy horse stable for the last 25 years, you'd have to have Holy Bull in your top five. Horses like Holy Bull just don't come along that often,” commented Jimmy Bell, president of Darley USA. “I've always said, he wasn't a specialist–short, grass, long or dirt. Just a fantastic racehorse. You can't mention his name without using such words as 'fighter, determination and guts.” He continued, “the whole story of Holy Bull, Mrs. Carpenter and Jimmy Croll, jockey Mike Smith…it was just a sensational ride. No doubt, at the time, Holy Bull was an icon for our family farm.”