Bernie Dickman

Brawn went wire-to-wire in a $57,000 allowance optional claimer at Gulfstream Park, Dancing N Dixie finished third in the $150,000, Gr. III Maple Leaf Stakes at Woodbine, and Neolithic ended the weekend with $2,994,106 in progeny earnings, making his first $3 million season a certainty in the next few days.

BRAWN – The 4-year-old colt owned and bred by Just for Fun Stable banked $129,143 in his first 13 starts, but his first four efforts of 2025 were less than inspiring. However, a 6 1/2-month vacation appears to be just what he needed. With Jesus Rios aboard in the race at a mile and 70 yards over the Tapeta surface, Brawn shot to the lead from the rail and made it look easy, getting the distance in 1:40.42, and winning by three-quarters of a length. He paid $34.20 and rewarded Just for Fun Stable with a check for $34,200 and a breeder’s award. He’s now earned $169,723.

DANCING N DIXIE – The 4-year-old multiple graded stakes-placed filly has made a living via strong runs through the lane, but this time fell just one length short in the race at 1 1/4 miles over the all-weather track. She collected $16,500 in Canadian funds, $11,217 U. S. That increased the lifetime total for the $35,000 OBS June 2-year-old to $418,830, on a record of 3-1-5 in 19 starts.

Employing a dazzling burst of speed in the final sixteenth, Brat Girl broke her maiden Friday going a mile and 70 yards over the Tapeta surface at Gulfstream Park, in just her fourth start. The 2-year-old Neolithic filly bred by Susy Cant collected a check for $18,200, leaving her sire less than $52,000 short of reaching the $3 million mark in 2025 progeny earnings, already his best season.

Heriberto Figueroa was in the irons aboard Brat Girl, and he settled her comfortably along the inside on the backstretch, about three lengths behind the leaders. On the turn, she closed in on the pack, and Figueroa had to steady her while looking for racing room. When he did, Brat Girl unleashed a powerful burst, taking the lead and opening up by daylight in just a few strides. She drew off easily, and was nearly five lengths in front when she hit the wire.

Brat Girl paid $7.20, became Neolithic’s 49th winner this year, and gave him 700 in-the-money runners in his career, 254 winners and 446 second and third-place finishers.

Neolithic’s first crop reached the races in 2021, and last year, with four crops performing, the son of Harlan’s Holiday enjoyed his best season, with his progeny earnings reaching $2,884,398. Over the weekend, with first-timer Chicken Dance leading the charge at Gulfstream Park, Neolithic is now well on his way to a $3 million season.

With Cipriano Gil in the saddle in the race at six furlongs, Chicken Dance was off in mid-pack, made a monster run coming to the turn and into the stretch, then flew by leader Don’t Go Astray as track announcer Pete Aiello bellowed, “Final eighth of a mile and Chicken Dance has taken a clear lead – let’s see your best Chicken Dance – he’s on his way to a 12-1 debut win – he wins by five.” (The chart maker called it 4 1/2).

The 2-year-old gelding owned and bred by veteran Ocala horseman Tom McCrocklin became Neolithic’s 48th winner of 2025. He was clocked in 1:13.55, paid $26.80 and earned a check for $14,400. And Neolithic’s progeny earnings jumped to $2,896,208.

Neolithic’s 47th winner of 2025 is Neonate, a 3-year-old gelding bred by SCF Inc. who broke his maiden in his fourth start behind a perfect trip over the Gulfstream Park Tapeta course under Leonel Reyes.

Neonate was off quickly and took up a position in fourth place along the inside. Reyes slipped him up to third on the turn, then sent him after the leaders into the stretch. They swung out into the three path, then proved best in the final sixteenth, winning by more than a length in 1:03.79 for the 5 1/2 furlongs.

The gelding owned and trained by Diane Morici paid $27.40 and earned a check for $22,500.

Squire, the 2-year-old Leinster gelding who had finished second in the Royal Palm Juvenile at Gulfstream, added another stakes-placed finish to his resume, getting second behind Khozalite in the $200,000 Affirmed, second leg of the Florida Stallion Stakes series.

Bred by Amy and Ciaran Dunne, and owned by Amy Dunne in partnership with trainer Patrick Biancone, Squire was no match for the winner while making a strong run through the stretch. He collected a check for $40,000, boosting his take for five races to $116,720, while running his record to 1-2-0.

In her first 20 starts, Kip the Distance raced three times at Delta Downs, resulting in second, third and fourth-place finishes. The 3-year-old Neolithic filly owned, bred and trained by Angel Rodriguez ended that streak with a wire-to-wire score under Jose Lopez in a $48,000 allowance optional claimer at 6 1/2 furlongs.

Lopez sent Kip the Distance to the lead and she lulled her rivals to sleep through less-than-sizzling fractions, then held off Lady Dreamer in the race to the wire by a head. She paid $13.20, was clocked in 1:20.48, and earned a check for $22,800. That increased her career bank account to $203,041 on a record of 4-4-3 in 21 starts.

Kip the Distance became Neolithic’s eighth runner to surpass $200,000 in earnings, and left the stallion less than $60,000 short of reaching his best year, 2024, when he hit for $2,884,398.

Bronze Bullet became the fifth winner of 2025 for Leinster, Florida’s leading freshman sire and No. 8 in North America, capturing a $50,000 off-the-turf maiden special at Gulfstream Park.

Emisael Jaramillo hustled the 2-year-old colt out quickly and the $150,000 OBS April purchase settled into a stalking position while three wide down the backstretch. The colt bred by Charles Weston and Robert Vickers rallied on the turn while still wide and ran down the pacesetter at the wire, a neck in front. He was clocked in :55.85 for the five furlongs over the Tapeta surface, a little less than a second off the track record.

Bronze Bullet was well-bet for his debut and paid $5.60, while earning a check for $50,000. Leinster now has progeny earnings of $528,533.

Last year, Neolithic enjoyed his best season with $2,884,398 in progeny earnings. When Neolithica won the first race at Laurel on Saturday, she boosted her sire’s 2025 account to $2,793,690, making him a cinch to break his record and probably go on to reach $3 million.

J. D. Acosta was in the irons for Neolithica’s 23rd career start, in a $40,000 starter handicap at seven furlongs. He sent her to the lead out of the gate and she continued on wire-to-wire, although she was all out to hold on by a head, clocked in 1:25.81. The check for $22,236 increased the 4-year-old filly’s earnings to $219,712, a healthy return for a $30,000 Timonium October yearling purchase.

The filly bred in Maryland by Maria M. Haire paid $6.80 after winning four of her last six, and 10 in her career.

In her career debut at Presque Isle Downs with Huber Villa-Gomez aboard, Ridgie finished a distant second for owners and breeders Martin and Emily Goodell. But the education was all the 2-year-old filly needed. Ridgie and Villa-Gomez returned for start No. 2, was sent off at odds of 9/10, and became Neolithic’s 46th winner of 2025.

Despite getting loose and running off briefly on the way to the gate, Ridgie broke well and raced close to the early pace in the 5 1/2-furlong test. When the real running began she proved to be much the best, scoring by three lengths in 1:03.81, less than two seconds off the track record. She paid $3.80 and collected $13,800, jumping her two-race total to $18,400 for the Goodells.

On Sept. 13, the 2-year-old Nyquist colt Argos hit the jackpot, winning the Gr. I, $500,000 bet365 Summer Stakes for long-time Ocala owner and breeder David Romanik, who was on hand for the race at Woodbine. The winning purse was $216,675 in U. S. funds.

An hour later, Romanik and his partner, trainer Ron Spatz, struck at Gulfstream Park with Private Thoughts, the red-hot 4-year-old gelding by Neolithic who returned from a 9-month vacation and won his second in a row under Leonel Reyes. The winners’ share of the purse in the $57,000 allowance optional claimer was $34,200.

Private Thoughts made it three straight this week, Reyes guiding him to a head victory in the $70,000 Jet Propulsion Handicap at 1 1/16 miles on the turf. The $11,000 OBS March 2-year-old bred by Joe and Helen Barbazon paid $8.40 after getting the distance in 1:39.73, less than two seconds off the course record. He raised his record to 7-2-2 in 15 starts, and the check for $41,500 increased his lifetime total to $263,274. His Equibase ‘E’ speed figure of 106 is a career best.