Neolithic on the verge of two major milestones

A strong two-day performance by Neolithic’s runners at Gulfstream Park has the red-hot stallion just a stone’s throw away from second place on Florida’s general sire list.

It began on Friday, when Trumpets won the fifth race and collected a healthy check for $38,100, followed by a runner-up finish by Neophyte in the eighth worth $5,450. On Saturday, Prevent won the third race and a check for $40,500, and Brawn finished fourth in a $75,000 handicap, earning $3,330. In the 10th race, Neoequos finished second in the $100,000 Dr. Fager for an additional $20,000. Adding a few odds and ends, and Neolithic’s take came to $107,560, lifting his sensational season’s progeny earnings to $1,991,027, less than $4,000 from second as he heads for his first $2 million year.

PREVENT – The 3-year-old colt bred by Katia Perez Ozuna was a $15,000 OBS Winter purchase, and he’s now earned $239,997, of which $155,477 has come in eight starts in 2024. He’s been stakes-placed three times, including in his latest, the Bear’s Den. In Saturday’s race at a mile and 70 yards over the Tapeta surface, Edgard Zayas had him right on the pace down the backstretch, put him in gear on the turn, and Prevent was up at the wire to prevail by a neck in 1:41.70. He received an Equibase ‘E’ speed figure of 90, his fourth straight race in a row at 90 or better.

TRUMPETS – The 3-year-old filly bred by Matalona Thoroughbreds, an $8,000 OBS October yearling, raced once at two and finished second, and is now 3-1-0 in five starts at three. In a $61,000 allowance optional claimer at five furlongs over the Tapeta after the race came off the grass, Edgar Perez took her wire-to-wire, putting up fractions of :21.87 and :45.12 and continuing on to score by nearly two lengths in :56.93, while receiving her best ‘E’ figure – 91. She’s 3-2-0 in her six tries with earnings of $121,910.

NEOEQUOS – After getting a DNF in his first start, the 2-year-old colt bred by Joe and Helen Barbazon and Matalona Thoroughbreds coasted to an easy score under Miguel Vasquez in a maiden special. Back for his third try in the $100,000 Dr. Fager, he was second best in a sharp performance behind coming superstar Rated By Merit, who was the 2/5 favorite and raced six furlongs in 1:09.45. Neoequos has earned $65,400.

Neolithic is about to pass $2 million in 2024 progeny earnings, and $5 million lifetime.

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