Turf News

Over the years, several track announcers have spiced up their race calls with patented lines that became familiar to every racegoer in North America. To name a few, there was multi-track Dave Johnson’s “And down the stretch they come,” Chicago’s Phil Georgeff with his “Here they come, spinning out of the turn,” Calder’s Phil Saltzman’s “And they’re not gonna get him today,” and Trevor Denman’s “And (so-and-so) can see them all,” referring to the last horse in the field, a call that several of today’s announcers have adopted for themselves.

The latest addition to the group is Gulfstream Park’s Pete Aiello, who, when faced with a stretch cavalry charge with five or six horses in contention, always bellows his patented line, “Who do you like here?”

Pete’s call is now etched in history with co-owner/breeder Breeze Easy LLC’s naming of the now 3-year-old filly Whodoyoulikehere, a daughter of Curlin’s Honor who broke her maiden at Delta Downs on Friday in her sixth career start. A $45,000 OBS October yearling, she made up eight lengths on the turn under Alex Birzer and went on to win a stretch battle by a head with 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:24.26. She paid $14.40 and earned a check for $9,600.

Cajun Vibes became the first runner by Neolithic to win twice in 2025 with a sharp ‘last-to-first’ performance in a six-furlong race at Penn National last night.

The 4-year-old gelding bred by Curtis Mikkelsen and Patricia Horth was off seventh under Angel Rodriguez, who decided to send Cajun Vibes after the leaders midway down the backstretch. They made it up to third with a wide sweep on the turn, and proved best in the lane, winning by 1 1/2 lengths in 1:12.21 and paying $4. The gelding has now won three of his last five tries and has an overall record of 3-2-1 in eight starts. The winner’s check of $7,200 boosted his earnings to $36,400.

Neolithic is in fourth place on the early Florida general sire list with progeny earnings of $303,468.

It’s possible that Bold N Breezy and Honor Her were buddies as kids at Pleasant Acres – Bold N Breezy is by Gunnevera and was foaled in April of 2022, while Honor Her is by Curlin’s Honor and was foaled two months earlier.

In any event, they may have had a reunion after Bold N Breezy won the second race at Gulfstream Park on Wednesday and was headed back to the barn, while Honor Her was on the way to the paddock for the third race, which she also won 20 minutes later.

BOLD N BREEZY – The 3-year-old colt bred by Joe and Helen Barbazon in partnership with Matalona Thoroughbreds, a $50,000 OBS October yearling, was glued to the hip of 9-1 shot Peppermint Man for most of the trip in a 1 1/16-mile, $30,000 starter optional claimer over the Tapeta surface. When Irad Ortiz Jr. let him out, Bold N Breezy drew off and scored by nearly four lengths. He paid $3.60 and picked up a check for $18,000 after covering the distance in 1:44.36. He’s now 2-1-0 in five starts with earnings of $41,620.

HONOR HER – The 3-year-old filly bred by Jeff Lovelady Jr. was a $35,000 Timonium May 2-year-old. With Javier Castellano aboard, she was fourth, about eight lengths off the pace heading down the backstretch in the race at five furlongs over the Tapeta surface. Castellano swung her off the inside and guided her between horses in the lane and she was up in time to break her maiden by three-quarters, clocked in :58.04. Honor Her paid $6.40 and collected $16,200. She was claimed for $17,500 by trainer Dan Hurtak.

Neolithic added a pair of winners on Sunday, one at Laurel Race Course and one at Tampa Bay Downs, giving him 11 for the new year, third best thus far for 2025 among Florida’s stallions.

NEOLITHICA – The 4-year-old filly bred in Maryland by Maria M. Haire went wire-to-wire under Victor Carrasco in a $27,120 starter optional claimer at six furlongs. She passed the furlong markers in :22.96 and :47.45 en route to a 4 1/2-length score in 1:13.04 and collected a check for $16,560, increasing her career total to $103,840. A $30,000 Timonium October yearling, Neolithica paid a healthy $45.80, while raising her record to 5-1-1 in 14 starts.

NOTABLE EXCHANGE – In her seven-furlong career debut in Oldsmar, the 3-year-old filly bred by Joe and Helen Barbazon trailed near the rear of the pack down the backstretch, made a strong surge approaching the turn, then won a three-horse battle down the lane by a neck. Her final clocking was 1:24.76 and her first score was worth $9.20 at the windows and $13,300 in the bank.

Neolithic has already run up $297,931 in progeny earnings in 1 1/2 months and is fourth on Florida’s general sire list.

Pleasant Acres stallions struck twice on Saturday with eye-catching scores in Florida and Louisiana.

LADY’S CHANT – The 4-year-old filly by Neolithic had veteran Ronnie Allen Jr. in the irons for the mile and 40-yard trip over the main track at Tampa Bay Downs. Despite having won her last, she was allowed to go off at odds of $13-1, and she paid $29.40.

The filly owned and bred by Martin and Emily Goodell was off quickly, then was eased back to second for the run down the backstretch. Allen slipped her through on the inside and she took the lead entering the stretch, then put it in overdrive and coasted to the wire nine lengths in front, clocked in 1:40.84. She raised her record to 2-3-6 in 16 starts, and the check for $10,500 jumped her total to $46,505. She received an Equibase ‘E’ speed figure of 77, best of her 16 starts.

HONOR THAT DUDE – The bred by Maverick Stables in Louisiana broke his maiden at Delta Downs in his ninth start. David Cardoso had him in a stalking position early, sent him to the lead on the turn, and he drew off to win by nearly six lengths in 1:28.61 for the seven furlongs. The $10,000 OBS October yearling collected $16,200 for the score.

Scarecrow gave Neolithic a big boost in his quest to remain near the top of the Florida general sire list, winning a $97,000 allowance race at Gulfstream Park and reaping the big payoff that goes along with it.

The 3-year-old colt bred by Endsley Oaks Farm benefited from a top-flight ride by Edgard Zayas in the race at 1 1/16 miles over the Tapeta surface. Zayas had Scarecrow in a close stalking position down the backstretch, sent him three wide on the turn, and they prevailed by a neck after a head-and-head stretch battle. Scarecrow paid $9 after getting the distance in 1:43.44 and earned a healthy check for $59,700, boosting his total to $112,710 on a record of 2-0-2 in five starts.

In 38 days, Neolithic has racked up 2025 progeny earnings of $246,821.

Neolithic’s march to the $6 million mark in career progeny earnings was achieved over the weekend, led by Neophyte, a 6-year-old gelding bred by SCF Inc. who has won two of his last three starts.

Neophyte became his sire’s eighth winner of 2025, scoring a neck victory in a five-furlong race over the Tapeta surface at Gulfstream Park. With Edgard Zayas in the saddle, the gelding followed closely behind a hot pace of :21.40 and :43.78, and was up in time to win in :56.15. He paid $9.60 and picked up a check for $15,000, raising his career total to $154,327 on a record of 5-6-9 in 30 starts.

Neolithic’s progeny earnings now total $6,016,933.

At Camarero Race Track in Puerto Rico, The Mole Baby boosted her record to 2-1-1 in six starts with a 2 1/2-length score going six furlongs over a sloppy track. The 3-year-old Kentucky-bred Gunnevera filly paid $7.10, was clocked in 1:12.60 and boosted her earnings to $10,160. She was claimed out of the race.

Bodexpress is back!

The son of Bodemeister has returned to Pleasant Acres after his first crop produced eight winners and progeny earnings of $395,658. Among his winners is recent stakes-winner Hot Girl Walk, a California-bred filly owned and bred by Richard Barton Enterprises who captured the $100,000 Generous Portion Stakes at Santa Anita, receiving an Equibase ‘E’ speed figure of 83.

Antonio Fresu was in the saddle and he placed his filly third down the backstretch in the race at six furlongs. She moved at the leaders on the turn, took over entering the stretch, and drew off with ease. She was geared down nearing the wire and won by 1 1/4 lengths in 1:11.28. Hot Girl Walk paid $13, earned a check for $57,000, and raised her total to $117,500 on a record of 2-1-0 in four starts.

The first 2025 winner for Curlin’s Honor is Carroll’s Honor, a 3-year-old filly owned and bred by Donald L. Ming who made it two victories in three starts with a rail-skimming beauty under Israel Rodriguez at Tampa Bay Downs.

In the race at six furlongs, Rodriguez was able to get good position along the inside with Carroll’s Honor, who moved into a contending position heading into the turn, swung to the three path for the run to the wire, and drew off by nearly four lengths late, getting the distance in 1:11.88. She paid $5.80 and collected $17,350, bringing her three-race total to $33,770.

Ater 20 starts in South Florida, resulting in three victories at Tampa Bay Downs and one at Gulfstream Park, Big Bucksalot made his next appearance in a new barn on Tuesday at Mahoning Valley – seven months later – and notched victory No. 5.

Now racing in the colors of owner/trainer Jay Bernardini, the 5-year-old gelding became Neolithic’s sixth January winner, and the check for $7,260 increased his sire’s career progeny earnings to $5,983,734, with $6 million a virtual certainty in a matter of days.

Angel Diaz was aboard for the Mahoning Valley score, which came in a race at six furlongs. Diaz sent Big Bucksalot up for the lead and they were in front after a quarter in :22.62. The gelding was pressed the rest of the way, and after posting a half in :45.53, he drew off late to win by 3 1/4 lengths, clocked in 1:11 flat and paying $5.80. He’s now 5-1-2 in 21 starts with earnings of $67,555.