Ferrer on a roll at Tampa, gets Neolithic his 4th winner

At the age of 59, Jose Ferrer enjoyed a memorable weekend at Tampa Bay Downs, winning on his last five mounts – four of them on Sunday – including a perfect maiden-breaking trip in a $25,000 claimer with Big Bucksalot, a 3-year-old Neolithic gelding.

Big Bucksalot was away sixth in mid-track down the backstretch in the race at six furlongs, and Ferrer didn’t waste any time going after the leaders before the field reached the turn. The gelding bred by Julie Jackson looped the field while three wide heading into the stretch, reached the lead at the eighth pole, and drew off to score by 4 1/4 lengths without opposition.

Big Bucksalot is Neolithic’s fourth winner of 2023; he was clocked in 1:12.23 and paid $10.20, while earning a check for $9,980. He won in his fourth start and helped Ferrer take over second place in the Tampa jockeys’ standings heading into the final week of racing.