BY BROCK SHERIDAN
Neoequos came three wide on the second turn and emerged from a five-horse battle in deep stretch to win his turf debut in the $75,000 Sunshine Turf at Gulfstream Park Saturday. With jockey Tyler Gaffalione, the 4-year-old colt drew clear late to win by two lengths against nine other older Florida-breds going a mile-and-a-sixteenth on the grass.
Neoequos tucked in behind Brawn and Tank around the clubhouse turn then allowed the two leaders to get a clear lead and race together down the backstretch. Tank took a short lead on Brawn around the second turn after a half-mile in :47.26 and six-furlongs in 1:10.49 before Neoequos went on the attack heading for the top of the stretch. The field bunched up in the run for home with Seminole Chief and Mister Abarrio joining the frey but Neoequos had the momentum on the far outside, getting to the front inside the final furlong. He finished up in 1:40.36 on the firm turf. Seminole Chief finished second, three-quarters of a length ahead of Tank in third. Classic of Course, Echo Lane, Mister Abarrio, Iron Hand, Brawn, Adios Cole and Scarecrow completed the order of finish. Anamnestic and Our Souper Hero were scratched.
“He traveled really well until the eighth pole and then it looked like he was beaten. And then he kicked in again. Tyler said that first time on the grass he got a little lost,” trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. said. “He runs well on the dirt obviously, but it looks like, the grass, we’re going to stay there.
“His last work was good, but [running on grass for the first time] is still a big difference. I thought if he handled it, he was doing well. You don’t know how they’re going to do until they get on it. Thankfully, he handled it and opened some options up.”
Neoequos paid $13 to win.
“All the credit goes to Saffie and his team. They brought the horse over here ready. They had a lot of confidence in him and they told me to ride him with confidence,” Gaffalione said after his third win on the day. “The horse put himself in a great spot. He broke alertly, was able to sit right off the speed and when I called on him, he was able to keep finding. He kind of hesitated coming to the top of the stretch but once he switched leads, he found another gear and leveled off nicely.”
Third against some of the best of his 3-year-old class last year in the Grade 2 Coolmore Fountain of Youth and Grade 1 Curlin Florida Derby presented by Hill ‘n’ Dale Farms at Xalapa, Neoequos then finished out of the money in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve in May and in the Grade 1 Woody Stephen presented by Mohegan Sun in June at Saratoga Race Course. He returned strong to win the $95,000 Jersey Shore at Monmouth Park in July and finish second to Barbadian Runner in the $500,000 Robert Hilton Memorial (Listed) at Charles Town in August. He concluded his sophomore year with a sixth behind fellow Florida-bred winner Mad House in the Grade 2 Gallant Bob at Parx Racing on Sept. 20.
Neoequos earned $44,175 to increase his lifetime earnings to $501,725 for owners C2 Racing Stable, Ian Parsard, Shining Stables, Stefania Farms, Ken T. Reimer, Paul Braverman and Timothy Pinch. Neoequos improved his career record to four wins with three seconds and three thirds in 13 starts.
Joseph bought Neoequos for $22,000 out of the 2023 Ocala Breeders’ Sales October Yearling Sale where he was consigned by Lisa McGreevy’s Abbie Road Farm.
A bay son of Neolithic, who stands at Pleasant Acres Stallions, Neoequos is out of the Birdstone mare Bold Birdie and was bred in Florida by Helen and Joseph Barbazon of Williston, Florida and Dr. Matt and Lona Vuskovich in the name of their Matalona Thoroughbreds of Gainesville, Florida. Bold Birdie has produced four starters, all winners, from six foals with Neoequos her only stakes winner. She has an unnamed 2-year-old filly by Mutasaabeq and was bred to Neolithic in 2025. Matt Vuskovich purchased the stakes-placed Bold Birdie in foal to Shaman Ghost for $10,000 out of the 2015 Keeneland January Horses of All Ages Sale. She is a half-sister to stakes winner Quality Lass and stakes-placed Tenacity Zip.
Return to the January 17 issue of Wire to Wire
