Turf News

In one of the strange twists of racing, two sons of Neolithic, Private Thoughts and Prevent, have faced each other in five straight overnight handicaps s at Gulfstream Park dating back to Oct. 4, the first two with purses of $70,000, and the last three worth $100,000 each. In the five, Private Thoughts has knocked out two victories, two seconds and a third; Prevent has two posted victories and three off the board.

In the latest on Saturday, the 5-year-old Prevent rebounded from one of his off-the-board efforts and went wire -to-wire in the mile and 70-yars test over the Tapeta course under Hall of Famer John Velazquez. They lulled the field to sleep with a :24.79 first quarter and continued on in front to a neck victory over 3-1- favorite Horsepower in 1:37.67. Bred by Katia Perez Ozuna, Prevent, a $15,000 OBS Winter yearling, earned a check for $60,000, boosting his career total to $469,177 on a record of 8-5-1 in 28 starts.

Private Thoughts, a 5-year-old gelding bred by Joe and Helen Barbazon, had won the last handicap on Dec. 27 but didn’t fire this time at odds of 3-1, finishing third for attorney David Romanik and trainer Ron Spatz, 2 1/2 lengths back. He earned $9,000 and now has a bank account of $368,474 on a record of 8-4-3 in 19 tries.

Six races after Chicken Dance became Neolithic’s fifth January winner at Gulfstream Park, Neoequos became No. 6, at the same time becoming his first black-type winner of 2026.

NEOEQUOS – The 4-year-old colt bred by Joe and Helen Barbazon in partnership with Matalona Thoroughbreds captured the $75,000 Sunshine Turf Stakes in his 13th start, and first try over the grass.

Tyler Gaffalione was aboard the $22,000 OBS October yearling and took him out quickly, settling into third place in the three path. They stalked the pace down the backstretch, then went after the two pace-setters into the lane, proving best by two lengths at the wire. Neoequos was clocked in 1:40.36 for the 1 1/16 miles over the turf course and paid $13. Neolithic’s biggest money-winner, he earned an Equibase ‘E’ speed figure of 98 and a check for $44,250, raising his total to $501,725 on a record of 4-3-2 in his 13 races.

CHICKEN DANCE – Owned and bred by one of Pleasant Acres most successful clients, Tom McCrocklin, the 3-year-old gelding is now 2-for-2 after his victory in a $35,000 starter optional claimer at six furlongs. Ridden by Micah Husbands, Chicken Dance won by a nose in 1:11.55, paid $6.40, and collected $20,700, boosting his two-race take to $35,100.

After breaking his maiden at Sunland Park under Alfredo Juarez on March 28 of last year, Scorpion Shot went on a six-race losing streak at Sunray Park, Albuquerque and Zia Park. Back at Sunland over the weekend, and with Juarez aboard, the 5-year-old Neolithic gelding ended the streak with an eye-catching daylight victory going a flat mile.

Scorpion Shot broke in mid-pack and began moving toward the leaders leaving the backstretch. He split the front pair as they rounded the turn, then began to draw off with ease late as announcer Eric Alwan bellowed, “Scorpion Shot streaks home a three-length winner.” The gelding bred by Debbie Walsh and Larry Anderson, manager at Getaway Farm, was clocked in 1:38.12, paid $21, and earned a check for $13,300, lifting his total to $29,682.

Scorpion Shot, a $17,000 OBS Winter Mixed purchase, received an Equibase ‘E’ speed figure of 77, best of his 15-race career, and became Neolithic’s fourth winner in January.

In the year that just ended, Neolithic racked up 53 winners from 90 starters, an average of 4.4 per month. He’s almost a cinch to beat that average for January, getting winner No. 3 for this month – Cademan – on Friday at Tampa Bay Downs. It also marked the first breeders’ award of 2026 for Joe and Helen Barbazon.

The next day, Neolithic enjoyed his first stakes-placed runner of 2026, the promising 3-year-old Ridgie missing second by a neck in the $125,000 Gasparilla Stakes, also at Tampa.

In his fourth start, with Samy Camacho in the irons in a $32,000 maiden claimer, Cademan got away in good early position in the race at 6 1/2 furlongs, went wide on the turn, then ran down 9/2 One Last Bullet in the final sixteenth to win by a length in 1:17.72. The 3-year-old colt paid $8.80 and earned a check for $16,700.

In the Gasparilla, Ridgie, who was riding a 3-race win streak, was away sixth, then closed a big gap late, but missed second on the last jump. The race at seven furlongs went in 1:23.58 and Ridgie’s check for $12,500 boosted her bank account to $89,000.

Longtime Pleasant Acres client Tom McCrocklin has the honor of getting Neolithic’s second winner of 2026: first-timer Viable Asset capturing a $25,000 maiden claimer at Gulfstream Park under leading rider Irad Ortiz Jr.

The just-turned 3-year-old filly bred by Mike Whieldon tracked the early pace in second place in the two path, commenced a strong wide run on the turn and drew off late to score by 1 1/2 lengths in 1:12.78 for the six furlongs. She paid $8.20 and her first check of $16,800 promises not to be her last.

Neolithic closed out the year as Florida’s second-leading stallion, parlaying 53 winners from 91 starters (58%) into easily his best season from the standpoint of progeny earnings ($3,516,289). He also led the Florida list with five black-type winners.

The first winner of 2026 for the son of Harlan’s Holiday is Ghost Bike, who came from behind under Elijah Greenridge in a one-mile race over a sloppy track at Mahoning Valley and outkicked even-money favorite Pace to the wire, winning by 1 1/2 lengths. The 6-year-old gelding bred by Shade Tree Thoroughbreds, Geoff Roy and Tom Fitzgerald, a $32,000 OBS March 2-year-old, was clocked 1:39.46, paid $8.20 and earned $6,540, raising his bank account to $70,187 on a record of 5-3-7 in 34 starts.

On November 29, three sons of Neolithic – Prevent, Private Thoughts and Brawn – finished 1-2-3 in the $100,000 Sabal Palm Handicap at Gulfstream Park. Prevent earned $59,500, Private Thoughts $22,200, and Brawn $11,450; a generous $93,150 boon for Neolithic’s 2025 progeny earnings.

On Saturday, the trio battled again in the $100,000 St. Augustine Handicap and the result was somewhat different. Private Thoughts was the winner, Brawn finished third, and pace-setter Prevent tired to finish sixth. The respective payouts were $59,500, $10,600 and $850, adding another $70,950 to Neolithic’s account, which now stands at $3,513,939, easily second best among all Florida stallions for 2025, and easily best of his five years.

Private Thoughts, a 4-year-old gelding bred by Joe and Helen Barbazon, was an $11,000 OBS March 2-year-old. Under Tyler Gaffalione, he followed Prevent in the early going in the 1 1/16-mile trip over the Tapeta surface, then kicked in and won by 2 1/4 lengths, clocked in 1:40.50, just 59 hundredths of a second off the track record. He paid $6, and raised his record to 8-4-2 in 18 starts for his highly successful co-owners, attorney David Romanik and trainer Ron Spatz. The $59,500 prize lifted his earnings to $359,474, of which $197,700 has come this year, and he’s 5-3-0 in his last eight races.

In a span of 24 minutes at Tampa Bay Downs and Gulfstream Park on Saturday, Neolithic added $51,600 to his 2025 progeny earnings, with a pair of come-from behind victories by rising star Ridgie and veteran If Not For Luck.

RIDGIE – In a race at 6 1/2 furlongs that went off at 1:12, the 2-year-old filly owned and bred by Martin and Emily Goodell made it three wins in a row after a second-place finish at Presque Isle in her debut. With Cesar Gonzalez in the saddle, Ridgie raced in fourth place down the backstretch, made a wide, sweeping run on the turn, then drew off late to score by 1 1/4 lengths, clocked in 1:18.22. She paid $8.80 and the check for $35,600 raised her earnings to $76,500 on a record of 3-1-0 in four starts.

IF NOT FOR LUCK – Off at 1:36 in a race at 5 1/2 furlongs over Gulfstream’s Tapeta surface, the 6-year-old bred by Juan Rodriguez, under Micah Husbands, made the same type of wide move on the turn as Ridgie, then cruised to the wire four lengths in front for his second victory in a row. He was clocked in 1:02.42, just 81 hundredths off the track record, and collected $16,000, ballooning his lifetime total to $228,470 on a record of 6-2-7 in 21 tries.

Neolithic’s progeny earnings for 2025 stand at a career-best $3,435,999 and climbing.

Neolithic’s best season continues to grow, with Neodera’s wire-to-wire score at Gulfstream Park adding $18,300 to her progeny earnings and boosting the stallion’s 2025 total to $3,367,583.

Emisael Jaramillo was aboard the 3-year-old filly for her 5 1/2-furlong trip around the Tapeta course. She posted speedy fractions of :22.91, :45.55 and :57.10 and cruised to the wire 3 1/2 lengths in front in a final time of 1:03.08, 1 1/2 seconds off the course record and good for an Equibase ‘E’ speed figure of 90.

Neodera, bred by SCF Inc.’s Belinda Kitos and owned by her in partnership with attorney David Romanik, paid just $2.40 and raised her record to 2-0-2 in six starts with earnings of $62,060. Neolithic approaches the end of the season with 53 winners (58.8%).

Although not as impressive as one of his many blockbuster weekends, Neolithic’s runners did well last week, and sent his personal high one-year progeny earnings to $3,334,907. Poiema started it off with a sharp wire-to-wire score at Tampa Bay Downs, followed by a runner-up performance by Peppermint Man at Gulfstream.

There was a bit of a letdown when Cajun Vibes finished second at Penn National at odds of 31-1 but he was disqualified and placed out of the money, while word from Puerto Rico was that I’m a Chucky Doll won at Camerero Race Track and Malicious Lady added a second. Also, Landman Friday finished fourth at Gulfstream.

Finally, the highly promising 2-year-old Ridgie scored at Tampa, and Neo Zapper was third, also in Oldsmar.

POIEMA – The 6-year-old mare bred by Cheryl and James McGuire was a $14,000 OBS June 2-year-old. In a race at seven furlongs with leading rider Sam Marin aboard, she rushed to the front and continued on the lead, putting up fractions of :22.69, :45.99 and 1:10.40 en route to a convincing 6 1/2-length score, clocked in 1:22.76. She paid $5.60 and earned a check for $36,200, raising her career total to $337,863. She’s one of six Neolithics to surpass $300,000.

I’M A CHUCKY DOLL – The New Jersey-bred 2-year-old filly was a $15,000 OBS June 2-year-old. In just her third start, going 5 1/2 furlongs, the filly bred by Kelly Lupton rallied from third place and was much the best, winning by 2 1/2 lengths in 1:06.33. She paid a healthy $69.10, and in the land of minute purses, she earned $3,480.

RIDGIE – The 2-year-old filly owned and bred by Martin and Emily Goodell got off to an auspicious beginning at Presque Isle, finishing second in her debut, then winning in her second start by three lengths. Shipping to Oldsmar, her Tampa Bay Downs debut came in a $36,500 starter optional claimer at seven furlongs, with Cesar Gonzalez riding.

Ridgie came from off the pace to score by 1 1/4 lengths, getting the distance in 1:23.89. She paid $6.60 and collected a check of $22,500 for the Goodells, raising her three-race total to $40,900.