$120,000 Neolithic colt makes it big in Gulfstream debut

Neolithic became the first Florida freshman sire to reach five winners this year when Make It Big more than lived up to his name in a $45,000 maiden special at Gulfstream Park yesterday.

The 2-year-old colt bred by SHH Ventures had Edgard Zayas in the irons in the race at seven furlongs, and he was sent off as the 4/5 favorite after his final breeze on Oct. 3 – five furlongs in :59.87. Make It Big was off a step slowly, but Zayas rushed him up on the inside and he opened up by two lengths in a :22.40 quarter. He went to the half by himself in :45.89 and was three in front heading down the stretch. By the time he hit the wire, Make It Big had salted away the winner’s check for the Brunetti family’s Red Oak Stable, who purchased him for $120,000 at the OBS April sale.

The final margin was a widening 8 1/2 lengths and Make It Big was clocked in 1:24.62, receiving an 86 “E” speed figure from Equibase, an excellent number for a juvenile in his debut at the distance. He earned $27,000, raising Neolithic’s first-season progeny earnings to $217,005.