Nearly and On Time Girl lead the way on fine day at Gulfstream for red-hot Not This Time

Click here to add us to your Google preferred sources or find out more here

Not This Time’s talents were on show at Gulfstream on Saturday as he chalked up a Graded double, headed by his son Nearly’s victory in the Holy Bull Stakes. 

The win would have been a much welcome tonic for trainer Todd Pletcher, after it was revealed his stable star Ted Noffey would miss the Kentucky Derby through injury. 

However, Nearly’s stylish five and three-quarter length win over Bravaro puts him right in the picture for the Classic on May 2. 

"I don't really look at it like this one replaces that one," Pletcher said of his two colts. "It's just this horse has been doing well on its own, and we had high hopes for him. We're happy to have him."

Nearly's likely next start will be in the Florida Derby at Gulfstream on March 28. 

Bred in Florida by Wind Hill Farm, the colt was a $350,000 purchase by Centennial Farms from the Denali Stud consignment to the 2024 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.

He is out of the two-time winner Ib Prospecting, a daughter of Listed winner Stormy Frolic, who also produced fellow stakes winner Frolic’s Revenge, the dam of Grade 3 scorer Drew’s Gold and Listed winner American Frolic. 

In winning the Grade 3, Nearly became the 70th stakes winner for Not This Time, who, after a landmark 2025, will stand the upcoming breeding season for a career high fee of $250,000, up from $175,000. The stallion began his career in 2017, standing his first season at $15,000. 

Last season, Not This Time sired 31 stakes winners, headlined by four Group 1 winners. The son of Giant’s Causeway was leading the sire of two-year-olds in every key category, with his juvenile crop bred off a fee of $45,000. In the overall North American sire standings, Not This Time finished second behind Into Mischief. 

In the ring last year, Not This Time was the leading sire by number of seven-figure yearlings at Keeneland September Yearling Sale, with his top yearling selling for $2 million, from a crop bred off his first six-figure stud fee of $135,000. 

Earlier on the card, Not This Time’s daughter, the Brad Cox-trained On Time Girl, ensured a Graded double for the stallion when she landed the Forward Gal Stakes, earning herself 20 Kentucky Oaks qualifying points. 

Read more

'Our objective is to make him champion sire' - River Tiber attracting strong backing ahead of second season 

'I haven’t been more excited about a stallion since Danehill' - Lead Artist to shuttle to Australia 

'We’re trying to think outside the box' - Bailey snaps up Cheltenham Festival entrant for £70,000 on ThoroughBid