Neolithic Targets Elusive Stakes Win in Fayette

After facing Arrogate or Gun Runner or both in his past three stakes tries, Neolithic will take a break from those accomplished rivals when he tries to nail down his first stakes win in the $200,000 Hagyard Fayette Stakes (G2) Oct. 28 at Keeneland.

With Arrogate and Gun Runner preparing for a showdown in the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) Nov. 4 at Del Mar, Neolithic will try an easier spot in the Fayette, a 1 1/8-mile test for 3-year-olds and older.

Despite not having a stakes win to his credit in 11 lifetime starts and four stakes tries, Qatar Racing and Starlight Racing's Neolithic certainly has displayed his class in placing third in three grade 1/group 1 stakes. And with two of those three top-level efforts coming in the $12 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes at Gulfstream Park and the $10 Dubai World Cup Sponsored by Emirates Airline, the son of Harlan's Holiday has earned $2,238,028.

In the Pegasus, Neolithic finished third to Arrogate. In the Dubai World Cup he finished behind Arrogate and Gun Runner and then in his most recent start, the Woodward Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course, Neolithic led early before finishing third to Gun Runner. Since the Sept. 2 Woodward, Neolithic has breezed five times for trainer Todd Pletcher, including a bullet half-mile move in :48.62 Oct. 12 on the Saratoga training track.

Awaiting Neolithic Saturday will be grade 2 winners Honorable Duty and McCraken, who like Neolithic, also boast grade 1 placings.

DARRS Inc.'s Honorable Duty has finished first or second in his previous six starts. During that stretch he won the Mineshaft (G3) and New Orleans (G2) handicaps at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots and ran second to Gun Runner in the Stephen Foster Handicap (G1) at Churchill Downs. Trained by Brendan Walsh, the 5-year-old Distorted Humor  gelding enters off a 4 3/4-length romp in the Lukas Classic Stakes (G3).

Whitham Thoroughbreds homebred McCraken just missed a grade 1 score when he finished second by a nose to Girvin in this year's betfair.com Haskell Invitational Stakes (G1) at Monmouth Park. Trained by Ian Wilkes, the 3-year-old Ghostzapper  colt will be facing older horses for the first time when he makes his first start since an off-the-board finish in the Travers Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets (G1).

Entries: Hagyard Fayette S. (G2)

Keeneland, Saturday, October 28, 2017, Race 9

• Grade II
• 1 1/8m
• Dirt
• $200,000
• 3 yo's & up
• 5:30 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Giuseppe the Great (KY)	Chris Landeros	118	Nicholas P. Zito	15/1
2	2Neolithic (KY)	Robby Albarado	121	Todd A. Pletcher	2/1
3	3Fear the Cowboy (KY)	Jesus M. Rios	123	Efren Loza, Jr.	15/1
4	4The Player (KY)	Calvin H. Borel	121	William B. Bradley	4/1
5	5Honorable Duty (KY)	Corey J. Lanerie	123	Brendan P. Walsh	9/5
6	6McCraken (KY)	Brian Joseph Hernandez, Jr.	120	Ian R. Wilkes	4/1
7	7Malibu Pro (KY)	Joseph Rocco, Jr.	121	McLean Robertson	15/1