BY BROCK SHERIDAN

According to The Weather Channel, there is a 92% chance of rain in Louisville, Ky., on Saturday, a report that should be welcomed by the connections of Florida-bred Neoequos as he prepares for Saturday’s $5 million Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (Grade 1).

To start the year, trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. entered Neoequos in a rather anonymous first level allowance race for Florida-breds going six furlongs on Jan. 23 at Gulfstream Park. Neoequos won with ease by three-and-a-half lengths over a sloppy and sealed track after leading from start to finish.

 

That race gained significant importance in recent days with the weatherman’s forecast as Neoequos is one of four of the 19 Kentucky Derby contenders with a victory over an off track. 

Coal Battle won maiden race at Evangeline Downs in the slop and the $100,000 Jean Lafitte Futurity over a muddy track at Delta Downs, both last year. American Promise broke his maiden in his sixth start over a muddy track at Oaklawn in December and Luxor Café (Jpn) won US$228,200 Fukuryu Stakes over a surface rated good at Nakayama Racecourse in his last race on March 29.

Trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. reports that Florida-bred Neoequos has been training well at Churchill Downs since arriving Saturday from his base at Palm Meadows Training Center in Boynton Beach. Neoequos is among the field of 19 3-year-olds who will race a mile-and-a-quarter in the $5 million first leg of Thoroughbred racing’s Triple Crown. 

“He’s done well. He’s had a good week,” Joseph said to Wire to Wire Thursday afternoon. “So far so good.”

With Neoequos drawing post two in the large field, Joseph said a good start will be key.

“[Neoequos will] need to break well,” Joseph said. “He’s a forward horse and hopefully the main speed will go and we can follow them around.”

In another late development Thursday, Luis Saez was named on Neoequos after Baeza drew into the race with the scratch of Rodriguez. Flavien Prat, who was previously named to ride Neoequos, had given first preference to Baeza at entry time when the John Shirreffs trainee was on the also-eligible list. 

Neoequos made the field for the Derby with 40 points on the Kentucky Derby Leaderboard, earned with third-place finishes in the Grade 2 Coolmore Fountain of Youth won by Derby contender Sovereignty on March 1 and in the Grade 1 Curlin Florida Derby won by Tappan Street with Sovereignty second on March 29. Both races were run at a mile-and-an-eighth at Gulfstream Park.

Neoequos proved his ability in both races, leading through six furlongs in the Fountain of Youth and taking a narrow lead at the top of the stretch in the Florida Derby after a stalking trip. But he was unable to sustain his position in the stretch of both races.

Joseph said Neoequos has shown enough potential and character to try the extra two furlongs in the Run for the Roses. 

“The distance is a question mark, we’ll have to see if he can get the distance,” Joseph said. “But he’s run well enough that we continue on. He relaxes and has a good disposition and normally that helps him get a little further. That’s his big asset and will help him get the added distance.”

Neoequos is by Pleasant Acres Stallions’ Neolithic out of Bold Birdie, by Birdstone and was bred in Florida by Helen and Joseph Barbazon of Morriston; and Matt and Lona Vuskovich of Gainesville in the name of their Matalona Thoroughbreds LLC. He was foaled and raised at Pleasant Acres Stallions in Morriston.

Matt Vuskovich/Matalona Thoroughbreds purchased Bold Birdie for $10,000 out of the 2015 Keeneland January Horses of All Ages Sale. She has since produced four starters, all winners, from six foals. Florida-bred Brashanknowit, by Shaman Ghost, has thus far earned $103,252 from four wins in 14 starts; and Florida-bred Bedrock Birdie, a full sister to Neoequos, has earned $115,930 from three wins in 13 starts. Both have raced in 2025. Bold Birdie has an unnamed yearling filly by Mutasaabeq and was bred to Doppleganger in 2024.

Joseph purchased Neoequos for $22,000 out of Lisa McGreevy’s Abbie Road Farm consignment at the 2023 OBS October Yearling Sale. Neoequos received his early race training in Ocala at Susan Montanye’s SBM Training and Sales.

He is owned by C2 Racing LLC (Mark Cornett of Naples, Fla., and his brother Clint Cornett of Texas), Stefania Farms (Edwin A. Wilson and Stefanie Wilson of Boca Raton, Fla.,), Shining Stable LLC (Joseph Morgan of Hollywood, Fla.), and Ian Parsard of Jamaica.

Neoequos enters the Derby with a record of two wins, two seconds and two thirds in seven starts with earnings of $291,050.  

Neoequos had a strained start to his career, losing his rider shortly after the start of a maiden special weight at Gulfstream Park in July of last year. He returned to win a maiden special weight in his next race on Aug. 10, winning by an authoritative two-and-a-half lengths.

 

He then ran into a buzzsaw in next two races, finishing second to Florida-bred Rated by Merit in the $100,000 Dr. Fager on Sept. 7 and the $200,000 Affirmed on Oct. 19, the first two legs in the male division of the lucrative FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes at Gulfstream. Rated by Merit was one of the fastest juveniles in North America last year, producing a 99 Beyer Speed Figure in the Affirmed, the best number of the year achieved by a 2-year-old.

Joseph then gave the bay colt several months off before returning him to Gulfstream—in an allowance race for Florida-breds that now could prove to be very important.

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