Courtsey of the TDN

1–#@sBOND HOLDER, 122, c, 2, by Mineshaft
1st Dam: Cielo Girl (MSW, $337,260), by Conquistador Cielo
2nd Dam: Dixie Band, by Dixieland Band
3rd Dam: Halley’s Comeback, by Key to the Kingdom
($90,000 yrl ’12 KEESEP; $125,000 2yo >13
OBSMAR). O-Reddam Racing LLC; B-Lazy Lane Farms
LLC (VA); T-Doug F O’Neill; J-Mario Gutierrez.
$150,000. Lifetime Record: 5-1-1-2, $186,000. Werk
Nick Rating: B. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.

Bond Holder was set a difficult task on his debut in the July 13 Hollywood Juvenile Championship and was
fifth, then showed some improvement when third in a Del Mar maiden two weeks later. He showed some late interest to round out the triple in a similar test Aug. 11, but improved his speed figures dramatically when runner-up in a one-mile test at the seaside oval Aug. 31. Can the Man (Into Mischief), third to Tamarando and Dance With Fate in the GI Del Mar Futurity last time, won the break, but was quickly displaced on the front end by the stretchout speed of Test Ride (Zensational), as Bond Holder took up a spot and switched off in the latter half of the field. The O’Neill runner commenced a rally approaching the halfmile marker, and the bay made steady progress into mid-division as the field reached the far turn. The 10-1 gamble continued to gain on the bend, was steered off the rail and to the outside for the drive and powered past the weakening pacesetters en route to an ultimately convincing success. Dance With Fate, bothered into the first turn by Ontology (Tapit), held for second from Tamarando, who missed the break and closed well to be third. “This race set up great for my horse because he likes to come from behind,” winning jockey Mario Gutierrez commented. “He seemed to like the distance today and I think that played a major part in his win. I don’t think the dirt made much of a difference because he runs everywhere; it was the distance that was the biggest factor.”