My Lil Poker Face, Brawn, lift Neolithic to new heights

Last year, Neolithic enjoyed his best season at stud, with 32 winners and $1,422,736 in progeny earnings. Yesterday, a victory by Lil Poker Face in a $30,800 maiden special at Evangeline Downs, plus a runner-up finish by Brawn in a $61,000 allowance optional claimer at Gulfstream Park, and the son of Harlan’s Holiday reached a new high – $1,444,224 – and it’s a long way off to Dec. 31.

My Lil Poker Face became Neolithic’s 31st winner, so he’s close to setting a personal record in that category, too. Over a sloppy surface, with Joel Dominguez in the saddle, the 2-year-old filly bred by Matalona Thoroughbreds battled on the lead in a :22.28 quarter, took over in the stretch and drew off to a 1 1/2-length score, clocked in 1:00.92 for the five furlongs in a race originally scheduled for about five furlongs on the grass. She collected a check for $18,000.

Brawn’s runner-up finish at Gulfstream was worth $12,140.