Neogem changes the call to “from next-to-last to first”

Neogem inserted a minor tweak into one of American race track announcers’ favorite stretch calls yesterday: the one that goes “from last to first.” In an 11-horse, $40,000 maiden optional claimer at Gulfstream Park, the 3-year-old filly by Neolithic went “from next-to-last to first” under Leonel Reyes.

Neogem gave the favorite players a scare when she walked out of the gate in the one-mile race on the turf. The filly owned and bred by Just For Fun Stables was still 10th after they crawled the first quarter in :25.08, but Reyes sent her 8-wide on the turn and she inhaled most of the field as they turned into the stretch, then ran over the leaders in the last 100 yards to win by nearly two lengths.

Neogem paid $4.40 and became winner No. 9 for Neolithic this year while collecting a check for $24,400, raising her total to $50,670 on a record of 1-3-0 in five starts.