Bernie Dickman

In her first 12 starts, over five tracks, I Love Venezuela was only able to muster up one victory and one second. In her next 12 starts, all at Gulfstream Park, she’s gone 4-4-0, and has won four of her last five.

The latest score for the 4-year-old Neolithic filly came on Saturday in a mile and 70-yard test over the Tapeta surface, with Edwin Gonzalez aboard. I Love Valenzuela broke on top from the No. 2 post, set leisurely fractions, and continued on to win by 2 1/2 lengths over 9/10 favorite Show Off. She paid $9.20 and collected a check for $19,600, boosting her lifetime total to $105,952 on a record of 5-5-0 in 24 tries. She received an Equibase ‘E’ speed figure of 93, best of her career.

The honor of sending Neolithic over the $3 million mark in 2025 progeny earnings goes to Neon Sign, a 5-year-old gelding bred by Southern Comfort Farm who turned in a strong performance in a six-furlong test at Gulfstream Park on Thursday.

Angel Cruz was aboard the gelding, who rushed to the lead from the outset and continued on in front through swift fractions of :22.27, :45.02 and 57.20 en route to a three-quarters of a length score in 1:10.28. The $15,000 OBS June 2-year-old paid $3.20 as favorite and earned a check for $13,200. That lifted Neolithic’s personal best to $3,009,231 on a record of 8-4-0 in 23 starts.

When Neolithic won the title as leading Florida freshman sire in 2021, his runners racked up progeny earnings of $636,849. With a month and a half remaining in this season, Leinster has already hit $691,779.

Leinster’s latest winner is Triskelian, a 2-year-old filly who broke her maiden at Gulfstrem Park in her fourth start, after posting a second and two thirds in her previous three. In a $75,000 maiden special at 5 1/2 furlongs over the Tapeta track, and with Edgard Zayas in the irons, the filly bred by Ashbrook Farm and Amy and Ciaran Dunne went head-and-head for the lead in a blazing :21.94 first quarter, then took over by herself through a half in :45.24. She had just one challenger through the lane, but kept clear of 5/2 second choice Sweet Ember by nearly two lengths, clocked in 1:03.47.

Triskelian became her sire’s sixth winner, paid $4, and collected a $50,000 check for owner Amy Dunne, jumping her four-race total to $80,058.

In 2021, Neolithic was Florida’s leading freshman sire with seven winners and progeny earnings of $636,849, and he’s gone on since to have a stellar career. This year, Pleasant Acres has another freshman leader – Leinster – and he’s already passed Neolithic’s initial year in both winners (7) and earnings ($693,752).

Leinster hit the exacta in Gulfstream’s fourth race on Saturday, with Monster winning the $57,000 allowance optional claimer by nearly five lengths as the 3/2 second choice, and Bronze Bullet finishing second as the 6/5 favorite. It was another four lengths back to the third finisher. The $2 exacta paid $10.

Monster went wire-to-wire in the 5 1/2-furlong test over the Tapeta course under Samy Camacho, speeding past the poles in :22.37, :44.90 and :56.79, with a final clocking of 1:02.92. That’s just 1 second & 31/hundredths off the track record held by Extendo, who is by former Pleasant Acres stallion Handsome Mike. Monster collected $36,600, lifting his earnings to $129,991 on a record of 2-1-1 in six starts. Bronze Bullet, a $180,000 OBS April 2-year-old, has earned $60,640 in his two starts.

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.