BY BROCK SHERIDAN
Neoequos will race at his ninth different track in as many starts since June of last year when the Florida-bred colt heads to Mountaineer Casino Racetrack and Resort for the $200,000 West Virginia Governor’s Stakes on Sunday night. Trained by Saffie Joseph Jr., Neoequos lines up against eight other 3-year-olds and older for the mile-and-one-sixteenth test following stops at Saratoga Race Course, Monmouth Park, Charles Town Races, Parx Racing, Gulfstream Park, Oaklawn Park, Lone Star Park and Churchill Downs.
During that span, Neoequos counts victories in the $95,000 Jersey Shore at Monmouth in July and the $75,000 Sunshine Turf against fellow Florida-breds at Gulfstream in January.
His last three starts have all come at a mile in graded stakes including a second to Heroic Move in the Grade 3 Steve Sexton Mile at Lone Star on May 25, third in the Grade 3 Oaklawn Mile won by Nu What’s New on March 28 and fifth last time in the Grade 3 Hanshin Stakes presented by JRA at Churchill on June 28.
Neoequos is owned by C2 Racing Stable, Ian Parsard, Shining Stables, Stefania Farms, Ken T. Reimer, Paul Braverman and Timothy Pinch and was bred in Florida by Helen and Joseph Barbazon of Morriston and Dr. Matt and Lona Vuskovich of Gainesville in the name of their Matalona Thoroughbreds.
In addition to the winner’s share of the purse, a victory outside Florida Sunday would earn the Barbazons and Vuskovichs as breeders a $4,000 Export Incentive provided by the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association.
Neoequos is by Neolithic, who stands at Pleasant Acres Stallions, and is out of Bold Birdie, by Birdsong. He has six wins with three seconds and three thirds in 16 lifetime starts with earnings of $631,550.
Joseph has given the riding assignment on Neoequos to Micah Husbands and they have the inside post one. Neoequos is the second choice on the morning line at 3-1.
Trainer Victoria Oliver has the 5-2 program favorite, Bracket Buster, another well-traveled colt who makes his first start since October when fourth in the Grade 3 Hagyard Fayette Stakes won by Hit Show at Keeneland.
Last year Bracket Buster won the Grade 3 Oklahoma Derby at Remington Park in September and the NYRA Bets Pegasus Stakes (Listed) at Monmouth Park in June and was second in both the Grade 1 Draftkings Travers won by Sovereignty at Saratoga in August and to Gosger in the Grade 3 Stonestreet Lexington at Keeneland in April. He was also fourth in the Grade 1 NYRA Bets Haskell at Monmouth in July and out of the money in a first condition, $125,000 optional claiming at Churchill Downs in May.
Bracket Buster has earned $792,506 for owners BBN Racing and Bowen Thoroughbred Racing from three wins, two seconds and a third in 11 starts.
John Velazquez has the mount on Bracket Buster from post two.
Completing the field are Play It Loud with jockey Sunday Diaz Jr., Diego Herrera rides Mogul (Chi), Capo Luca will partner with rider Luis Gonzalez, Emmanuel Esquivel takes the reins on Hall of Fame, Warp Nine will have Frankie Pennington up, Itsmybirthday will be guided by Ramon Vazquez and Chiron will be ridden by Jose Bracho.
Return to the August 7 issue of Wire to Wire
