Neolithic filly, Gone Astray gelding sharp after 4-month layoffs

Layoffs since December proved to be the right medicine for a pair of runners Sunday, one a filly by Neolithic and the other a gelding by Gone Astray.

GREAT VENEZUELA – The 3-year-old filly had been off for 4 1/2 months and reappeared in a $41,000 allowance optional claimer at Gulfstream Park with Leonel Reyes riding. In a race at 5 1/2 furlongs on the Tapeta course, she was off second and tracked the leader down the backstretch in the two path. Reyes sent her up outside the pacesetter on the turn and she took the lead in the stretch, coasted to the wire 11 lengths in front as announcer Pete Aiello bellowed, “Great Venezuela – making 3/5 look like easy money.” Her clocking of 1:02.93 threatened the track record of 1:01.61, ironically, held by a former Pleasant Acres stallion, Handsome Mike.

Great Venezuela paid $3.20, received an Equibase ‘E’ speed figure of 90, and earned a check for $24,100, inflating her total to $94,500 on a record of 3-1-1 in five starts. Owned and bred by Orlyana Farm, she’s Neolithic’s 18th winner of 2024, fourth best of all Florida sires.

RICHIESONAROLL – In his second race back after his layoff of four months, the 4-year-old gelding bred in Illinois by Richard Ravin was also 3/5 after he had finished second in his return. In a $45,120 allowance test at six furlongs at Hawthorne, the Gone Astray gelding sat fourth on the rail down the backstretch under Emmanuel Giles, swung to the outside on the turn and proved to be best in the late going over three rivals, scoring by two lengths in 1:10.53. He collected a check for $27,720, ballooning his career bankroll to a healthy $174,075 on a record of 5-5-0 in 15 starts, 5-3-0 in his last 10.