Bea Oxenberg’s 3-year-old Hey Byrn was somewhat of a disappointment to his connections finishing fourth behind Big Brown in the Florida Derby (G1) at Gulfstream Park on Mar. 29, but would still have an outside chance of making it to the Kentucky Derby (G1) with a victory in Saturday’s $150,000 Holy Bull Stakes (G3).

Jockey Chuck Lopez picks up the mount on Hey Byrn for trainer Eddie Plesa Jr. in the 1 3/16 miles Holy Bull, and will likely be a solid choice against six rival 3-year-olds. The $90,000 winner’s prize could be enough to earn him a berth in the Kentucky Derby three weeks later at Churchill Downs if his connections decide to go.

A son of Put It Back, Hey Byrn won a pair of allowance races over the Gulfstream track by 14½ and six lengths before the Florida Derby when he was sent off as a 10-1 chance. He lost by more than 15 lengths but finished ahead of eight other rivals after a rough start.

Hey Byrn’s most dangerous rivals in the Holy Bull appear to be Herb and Ione Elkins’ Dream Maestro, Richard Brand’s Web Gem and Patriot Stable’s Famous Patriot, each of whom competed in good races at some point during the Gulfstream meet.

Jockey Manoel Cruz will be atop Dream Maestro for trainer Bill Kaplan, who developed Imawildandcrazyguy to finish fourth as a longshot behind Street Sense in the Kentucky Derby last year. Dream Maestro broke his maiden last out going nine furlongs over a ‘sloppy’ track on Mar. 23, and the son of Concerto has never has been out of the money in five career starts.

Trainer Nick Zito and his crew, busy Saturday afternoon with Cool Coal Man, winner of Gulfstream’s Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2) in his last start, and Stevil both running in the Blue Grass Stakes (G1) at Keeneland, will be represented in the Holy Bull with Richard Brand’s Web Gem to be ridden by Joe Bravo.

Web Gem is a chestnut colt by Fusaichi Pegasus that has run second, third and fourth in three allowance starts at the meet, most recently a good third behind highly-regarded Kohana in a one-mile test on Mar. 20. Web Gem will be trying two turns for the first time in the Holy Bull.

Famous Patriot has made all three of his career starts at this meet for trainer Tim Hills, breaking his maiden last out impressively by 2¼ lengths on Mar. 6 going 1 1/8 miles in his first career two-turn race. Jockey Eddie Castro gets the call on the Florida-bred son of Repent, who ran well to finish third in his first two starts sprinting.

Completing the field for the Holy Bull are Bear Stable’s Chief Bear, Sebastian Madrid; Gene and Phyllis Gilmore’s Bipolar Express, Andrew Ramgeet; and Sisco Racing’s Nathan Ridge, Eduardo Nunez.