BY STEVE KOCH
Florida-bred Neoequos faces a graded-stakes field Saturday in the $500,000 Oaklawn Mile (Grade 3) at Oaklawn Park. The 4-year-old colt by Pleasant Acres Stallions’ Neolithic breaks from post two under jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. in the one-mile test for older horses on the Arkansas Derby undercard.
Trained by Saffie Joseph Jr., Neoequos (12-1) enters off a two-length victory in the $75,000 Sunshine Turf Stakes at Gulfstream Park in January — his first career start on grass. Prior to that turf debut, his career resumé was built on dirt, including a third in the Grade 2 Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth, a third in the Grade 1 Curlin Florida Derby, a start in the Kentucky Derby, and a win in the $95,000 Jersey Shore Stakes at Monmouth Park last July. His career record stands at four wins, three seconds and two thirds from 13 starts with earnings exceeding $500,000 for owners C2 Racing Stable, Ian Parsard, Shining Stables, Stefania Farms, Ken T. Reimer, Paul Braverman and Timothy Pinch.
Bred in Florida by Helen and Joseph Barbazon of Williston and Dr. Matt and Lona Vuskovich’s Matalona Thoroughbreds of Gainesville, Neoequos was purchased for $22,000 at the 2023 Ocala Breeders’ Sales October Yearling Sale.
A win Saturday would also earn his breeders a $5,000 bonus under FTBOA’s Florida-bred Export Incentives program, which rewards listed breeders of registered Florida-breds for wins in upper-level conditions at out-of-state tracks.
The morning line makes Full Serrano (Arg) the 2-1 the favorite from post five.
Trained by John Sadler and ridden by Antonio Fresu, the Argentine-bred 7-year-old won the 2024 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1) at Del Mar and enters off a third in the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream Park in January.
Nu What’s New (3-1) broke his maiden at Oaklawn in December, won an allowance in February, then ran second in the Grade 3 Razorback Handicap in his stakes debut. Luis Saez rides from post seven.
East Avenue (7-2) returns from a layoff dating to August under Cristian Torres from post four. The 4-year-old won the Grade 1 Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity as a juvenile and the Grade 3 Matt Winn Stakes last summer before finishing fifth in the Grade 3 West Virginia Derby.
Coal Battle (6-1) also returns from a layoff, off since finishing second in the Grade 3 Indiana Derby last July. The 4-year-old won the Grade 2 Rebel Stakes and the Smarty Jones Stakes at Oaklawn last year and finished third in the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby. Corey Lanerie rides from post six.
Return to the March 27 issue of Wire to Wire
