Cattin gives Neolithic his 3rd winner at Gulfstream

Although it’s much too early for making end-of-the-year predictions, Neolithic is currently No. 1 on Florida’s 2021 freshman sire list with respect to number of winners.

The stallion by Harlan’s Holiday, who had become the first Florida freshman to get two winners, now has three thanks to a highly-professional maiden-breaking victory by Cattin in his first try at Gulfstream Park.

Cattin was bred by long-time Florida breeders Curtis Mikkelsen and Patricia Horth, and was a $25,000 OBS Winter yearling. He was ridden by Emisael Jaramillo in yesterday’s debut in a $50,000 claiming race at 5 1/2 furlongs. Sent off at odds of 3-1, Cattin broke fifth and hugged the rail down the backstretch, until Jaramillo slipped him through to stalk the three leaders into the turn for home.

The veteran rider waited for the inside to open up, and when it did, he shot Cattin through the hole and in the blink of an eye, he left the three challengers in the dust. Never leaving the rail, Cattin widened the margin through the lane and at the wire he was nearly four lengths in front, clocked in 1:05.38. He paid $8.40 and earned a check for $28,550, which raised Neolithic’s total to $97,950 despite having only five runners thus far. Among 63 first-year sires in North America, he stands at No. 20.