Neolithic quietly gets the job done

Compared to the numbers of the stallions above him on Florida’s leading sire list, it may seem that Neolithic is well behind that group, but a closer look shows that the son of Harlan’s Holiday is having a pretty good year.

Neolithic is in the 13th spot among Florida’s current active sires, despite the fact that he has had just 38 runners since Jan. 1. But those 38 runners have produced 17 winners who have earned $547,911.

Big Bucksalot is his latest winner, accomplished via an eye-catching wire-to-wire performance over a sloppy track at Gulfstream Park. With Samuel Camacho Jr. in the irons, the 3-year-old gelding jumped out to the lead leaving the gate, was five lengths in front after a quarter in :24.01, and nobody ever got close. In the stretch, announcer Pete Aiello’s call was emphatic: “Big Bucksalot . . . with no intention of slowing down . . . this has been a powerhouse run by the son of Neolithic . . . he won while never being threatened.”

Big Bucksalot scored by 5 1/2 lengths in 1:37.63 for the mile and collected a check for $10,400.

The gelding bred by Julie Jackson didn’t race at two and is 2-0-1 in nine tries this year with earnings of $24,310.