Neolithic Gets Back to the Winner's Circle
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Photo: Coglianese Photos
Neolithic returns to winning form by a neck going seven furlongs at Saratoga Race Course
The distance wasn't his preference and the longshot pacesetter wasn't folding up as expected. Nonetheless, Neolithic pressed forward and got his comeback victory over the Saratoga Race Course main track Aug. 5.
Having run third in Thoroughbred racing's two richest races in his prior outings, Neolithic shook off the rust Saturday, when he wore down game 26-1 shot Warrior's Club by a neck in a seven-furlong allowance test, his first outing in nearly four months.
The Todd Pletcher-trained son of Harlan's Holiday was making his first start since finishing behind champion Arrogate and multiple grade 1 winner Gun Runner in the March 25 Dubai World Cup Sponsored by Emirates Airline (G1)—an effort that was preceded by another show finish in the Jan. 28 Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes (G1). A respiratory illness contracted on the trip back from Dubai kept Neolithic sidelined at WinStar Farm in Kentucky before he returned to Pletcher to June.
With a win under his belt now, a start in the Sept. 2 Woodward Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets (G1) could be on tap for his next top-level try.
"Seven furlongs is not his distance, so I thought he was very good, and Todd said after the race he was very proud of him," said Jack Wolf of Starlight Racing, which owns Neolithic in partnership with Qatar Racing. "That was the Churchill Downs Racing Club horse (Warrior's Club) that was kicking our (butt), but I think it was mission accomplished today. He needed a race."
Sent off as the 3-5 favorite in the nine-horse field, Neolithic rated five-wide under jockey John Velazquez in fifth, then seventh, as Warrior's Club kept things honest with an opening quarter-mile in :22.73 and a half-mile in :45.17. The latter appeared to be getting leg weary as he led the procession into the stretch, but stubbornly forced Neolithic to test his fitness. With a wide rally he just got up late, as Always a Suspect advanced inside to get third.
Neolithic hit the wire in a final time of 1:22.39 to earn his third victory and first win since December.
Bred by Edwin Anthony, Neolithic has earnings of $2,163,028 from 10 starts. He was a $460,000 purchase by Starlight from Denali Stud's consignment to the 2014 Keeneland September yearling sale.