Neolithic is prolific!

Neolithic’s January run added a sixth United States winner on Friday, and it turns out he had one at Caymanas in Jamaica on Jan. 1, so his total for 26 days is seven.

If Not For Luck scored in a $42,000 starter allowance at Gulfstream Park under Jesus Rios and collected a check for $25,200, which brought Neolithic’s earnings for the month to $146,476. Along the way, he surpassed the $3 million mark in career progeny earnings.

The 4-year-old horse bred by Juan Rodriguez tracked a red-hot pace – :21.84, :44.51, and :56.15 – then proved best in the stretch, getting up by a neck in 1:02.11 for the 5 1/2 furlongs over the Tapeta course. That’s just half a second off the course record held by Extendo, a son of former Pleasant Acres stallion Handsome Mike bred by Joe and Helen Barbazon, Ed Seltzer and Beverly Anderson.

It’s the second straight victory for If Not For Luck, who is now 3-1-2 in eight starts with a bank account of $108,600. He received an Equibase ‘E’ speed figure of 92 for his previous victory, and added a 93 for yesterday’s, best of his eight races.