Miss Imelda romps at Louisiana Downs in 2nd start; Neolithic’s still sizzling

In her career debut at Tampa Bay Downs in December, Miss Imelda was involved in a severe bumping incident leaving the gate then was never in the hunt. The 3-year-old filly made her return to the races at Louisiana Downs on Derby day and looked like a different horse, becoming the 19th winner of 2024 for red-hot Neolithic.

With Emmanuel Nieves riding, Miss Imelda sat a comfortable fourth early in the race at 5 1/2 furlongs, moved up while five wide on the turn, then went into overdrive late and won by 5 1/4 widening lengths, clocked in 1:07.24. The filly bred by Shade Tree Thoroughbreds paid $13.60 and collected a check for $5,100.

In other Neolithic news, at Gulfstream Park, the 2-year-old filly Kip the Distance made her debut in a $65,000 maiden special weight test at 4 1/2 furlongs under Maikol Hernandez and acquitted herself well, especially considering her odds of 21-1. Owned, bred and trained by Angel Rodriguez, Kip the Distance went to the lead, passed the markers in :22.24 and :46.78, and was caught nearing the wire by Valiant Kiss, who won by a length. Kip the Distance paid $19.20 to place and $7 to show while earning a check for $10,800.

Finally, on Kentucky Oaks day, Dancing N Dixie finished a fast-closing third in the $600,000, Gr. II Edgewood Stakes at Churchill Downs, the third straight graded third-place finish for the 3-year-old Neolithic filly. Once again, despite the fact that NYRA’s inept handicapper Trackmaster called her a speed horse, Dancing N Dixie came from out of the clouds and was going fastest nearing the wire, only to run out of racetrack and fall short by 1 1/2 lengths. She earned an Equibase ‘E’ speed figure of 106, and collected $47,000, increasing her bank account to $185,235 on a record of 2-0-3 in 9 starts for her three-person partnership, which includes Jackie Ventura, wife of OBS president Tom Ventura.