Saturday heroics add to Neolithic’s resume
After his blazing start in the first two months of the new year, during which he had 13 winners and moved into fourth place on Florida’s general sire list, Neolithic tailed off briefly and dropped back to ninth place. But a spate of sharp finishes on Saturday, although without a winner, elevated him back up to sixth.
DANCING N DIXIE – The 3-year-old filly bred by the late Freddie Hyatt was sent off at mammoth odds of 68-1 in the $200,000, Gr. III Florida Oaks over the slick Tampa Bay Downs turf course. With Gabriel Maldonado riding, the Mark Casse trainee hit the gate at the break and was away 11th and last in the race at 1 1/16 miles. The $35,000 OBS June 2-year-old remained last down the backstretch, about 10 lengths behind the leaders, but Maldonado set her down nearing the turn, and Dancing N Dixie gobbled up groun while very wide, then came barreling down the lane and finished third, a length and a head behind favored Waskesiu. She earned a check for $20,000, raising her career total to $110,860, and received an Equibase ‘E’ speed figure of 96.
PRIVATE THOUGHTS – The 3-year-old gelding is a 100% Pleasant Acres product, bred by Joe and Helen Barbazon. Trained and co-owned by Ron Spatz in partnership with attorney David Romanik, he went off at 5-1 and stalked the leaders early, then took the lead entering the stretch in the $59,000 allowance optional claimer at a mile and 70 yards over the Tapeta track. But he was nailed at the wire and wound up second by a neck to Live Oak Stud’s Crystal Quest. Private Thoughts collected a check for $11,340 and received his best ‘E’ speed figure of 81. He’s 1-1-1 in five starts with a bank account of $53,654.
BRAWN – the 3-year-old colt was the pacesetter under Jesus Rios in the same race as Private Thoughts but could not sustain it in the stretch and he finished fourth, collecting $2,700 and increasing his earnings to $52,803 for owner/breeder Just For Fun Stable.
POIEMA – Neophyte’s second-leading money-winner added $8,400 to her earnings with a second-place finish in a 7-furlong, $50,000 Handicap at Tampa Bay Downs. The 5-year-old mare took the lead at the start under Jose Ortiz, put up fractions of :22.42, :45.15 and 1:09.37, then was oufinished by a head in the final strides by 8/5 favorite Sterling Silver. The $14,000 OBS June 2-year-old raised her record to 5-7-2 in 26 tries, and her earnings to $264,153. Her 103 ‘E’ speed figure is the best of her career.
NEOPHYTE – The 5-year-old gelding bred by SCF Inc. (Belinda Kitos) led all the way into the stretch with Edgard Zayas aboard in a $10,000 claimer at 5 1/2 furlongs over the Tapeta surface at Gulfstream. He was caught nearing the wire after passing the poles in :22.10, :44.75 and :56.68, and wound up second by three-quarters of a length. Neophyte earned $5,200, lifting his total to $107,037 on a record of 3-5-5 in 20 starts.
The five paychecks added up to nearly $48,000, and Neolithic’s 2024 progeny earnings jumped to $381,772.