A year after its colt No More Time  was ruled out of the Kentucky Derby (G1) due to injury, Morplay Racing begins a new quest for the Run for the Roses with Guns Loaded  in the Feb. 1 $265,000 Holy Bull Stakes (G3) at Gulfstream Park.

Son of 2017 Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) and 2018 Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes (G1) winner Gun Runner  , Guns Loaded will start from post 4 under Irad Ortiz Jr. in a seven-horse field for the 1 1/16-mile race.

With the Holy Bull offering Road to the Kentucky Derby points on a 20-10-6-4-2 scale to the top five finishers, Guns Loaded will begin pursuing something his father accomplished—a start at Churchill Downs on the first Saturday in May.

“He’s a beautiful, beautiful specimen of a horse,” Morplay’s Rich Mendez said of Guns Loaded. “He’s got the pedigree and if there’s any time to have another (Derby) opportunity, this is it. 

“We like what we have. It would be great to have him follow his dad’s footsteps.”

No More Time, who suffered a condylar fracture in his left front leg three weeks before last year’s Derby, has started training again. Mendez said he could return by the end of the year.

As for Guns Loaded, whom Morplay Racing owns with Joey Platts and Lady Sheila Stable, he was bred by John Oxley out of the Bernardini mare Sky My Sky.

Mendez credited Cam Dulgar, his son-in-law and Morplay general manager, with focusing on Guns Loaded at the 2023 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, where he was purchased for $800,000 from the Gainesway consignment.

“We liked the pedigree, we liked what we saw in the physical and the whole walks, and we thought we’d take a chance,” Mendez said.

Guns Loaded has won twice in three starts. He was second in a seven-furlong race at Saratoga Race Course in August before winning a six-furlong race at Churchill Downs in November and the one-mile Mucho Macho Man Stakes at Gulfstream Park Jan. 4.

“Before he ran first time out, I was certain he was a two-turn horse,” trainer Jose D’Angelo said. “That’s why I run seven furlongs. When he showed me his speed, I cut the distance to six and he won impressively. When we went to a mile, (jockey Luis) Saez told me after the race when he feels another horse he gets to running again. In the mornings he looks like he can do it. Hopefully, he can carry his speed.”

Guns Loaded became the first stakes winner of the new year for sire sensation Gun Runner, who stands at Three Chimneys Farm near Midway, Ky., with a stud fee of $250,000.  

“We know he has a lot of talent,” Mendez said of Guns Loaded. “Second time out, he won wire to wire. Third time out he did the same. Not the fastest fractions but he’s horse that likes competition, and he excels in competition.

“What I want to see, I want him to go out there and prove that he can go the distance.”

The Holy Bull field also includes 2024 Breeders’ Futurity (G1) and Hopeful Stakes (G1) runner-up Ferocious , who’ll break from post 2 under Javier Castellano. Owned by JR Ranch, Marquee Bloodstock, High Step Racing, and OGMA Investments, the dark bay/brown son of Flatter is trained by Gustavo Delgado.

Grey Stakes (G3) winner He’s Not Joking , son of 2017 Kentucky Derby starter Practical Joke  , will start in the fifth post position. John Velazquez will ride the Josie Carroll-trained colt.