BY LAURIE ROSS

Standing at Pleasant Acres Stallions, Neolithic (Harlan’s Holiday – Swingit, by Victory Gallop) has developed into one of Florida’s most reliable young stallions. The leading earner for his sire, Neolithic held his own against the best horses in the world and carried his speed and determination from seven furlongs to a mile-and-an-eighth, competing with distinction in both the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup Invitational at Gulfstream Park and Group 1 Dubai World Cup at Meydan Racecourse. 

Neolithic carried his class to the breeding shed and has built a reputation for producing durable runners, with progeny excelling on turf and synthetic tracks while remaining competitive on dirt. He currently ranks among Florida’s top sires while continuing to add winners and stakes performers to his record.

AT THE RACES

Bred by Edwin Anthony, Neolithic was purchased for $460,000 at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale and trained by Todd Pletcher for Qatar Racing and Starlight Racing. 

Neolithic broke through in his second start in December 2015 as a 2-year-old, winning a mile-and-a-sixteenth Maiden Special Weight at Gulfstream Park. Racing against the prevailing speed bias, he edged away late to score by three-quarters of a length.

A few starts later, in his first stakes attempt, Neolithic finished second in the mile-and-an-eighth Discovery Stakes (G3) at Aqueduct. He returned the following month with a dominant nine-length allowance victory, again traveling a mile-and-a-sixteenth over the Gulfstream dirt.

In his first start at age 4, Neolithic finished third in the Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) behind Arrogate and again placed third behind that rival in the Dubai World Cup (G1) against an elite international field. After adding another allowance victory at Saratoga Race Course, he finished third in the Woodward Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course and second in the Fayette Stakes (G2) at Keeneland Race Course.

During his 12-race career, Neolithic recorded three triple-digit Beyer Speed Figures: 106, 102 and 100, ranked 19th by earnings in Equibase’s Top 100 Standings (since 2000) for 2017 and retired with a record of three wins, four seconds and three thirds from races and earnings of $2,278,028.

PEDIGREE

A graded stakes-placed performer, Neolithic was effective from seven to nine furlongs against elite company, showing the ability to carry his speed over middle distances. His pedigree, however, reflects humble origins. His sire was bred in Ohio, and his second dam in Oklahoma.

Neolithic is the leading earner for Harlan’s Holiday (Harlan – Christmas in Aiken, by Affirmed), one of the most accomplished representatives of the Storm Cat line.

A grandson of Storm Cat, the Ohio-bred Harlan’s Holiday won the $40,000 Cleveland Kindergarten Stakes at Thistledown in his second start. After adding a pair of stakes at River Downs, he stepped onto the national stage, winning or placing in 11 graded stakes, including victories in the Florida Derby (G1) and Blue Grass (G1) before finishing a strong seventh in the Kentucky Derby won by longshot War Emblem (G1). 

He also captured the Donn Handicap (G1) at Gulfstream and finished second in the 2003 Dubai World Cup (G1). Over his 22-start career, the bay colt earned $3,632,664, far more than his $97,000 purchase price at the 2000 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky July Yearling Sale.

At stud, Harlan’s Holiday knocked it out of the ballpark, siring five stakes winners in his initial crop, including Into Mischief (Leslie’s Lady, by Tricky Creek). 

Other notable sons at stud include Champion 2-year-old Shanghai Bobby, Majesticperfection and Pedro Caiman, a champion sprinter at stud in Venezuela. Harlan’s Holiday passed away at only 14-years-old, but his legacy lives on through his sons and daughters. 

Neolithic’s dam Swingit (Victory Gallop – Free Ransom, by Our Native) was a three-time listed stakes winner at a mile-and-a-sixteenth over the lawn, capturing the Listed JPMorgan Chase Jessamine in 2006 along with the  Listed Edgewood and $60,000 Furl Sail Handicap the following year, earning $345,353 in 19 starts. 

She bore 10 foals, including Travel Column (Frosted), winner of the Golden Rod (G2), and Fair Grounds Oaks (G2). Travel Column also finished second in the Rachel Alexandra Stakes (G2) and third in the Alcibiades Stakes (G1), earning $698,531 in 13 starts.

Neolithic’s second dam, the Oklahoma-bred Free Ransom (Our Native – Pay the Ransom, by J. O. Tobin) earned $63,133 the hard way in 32 starts, but produced two black type winning daughters, including Swingit’s half-sister, Singit (Sultry Song), a stakes winning turf sprinter and multiple stakes-placed black type earner of $229,329 in 34 starts. 

The female family traces to the unraced Louisiana-bred Pay the Ransom, a half-sister to stakes winner and multiple black-type producer Valid Carnauba (Valid Appeal). Both are daughters of Carnauba (Noholme II (AUS)), Neolithic’s fourth dam and champion 2-year-old and 3-year-old filly in Italy.

Victory Gallop (Cryptoclearance – Victorious Lil, by Vice Regent) will forever be remembered as the colt who ruined Real Quiet’s quest for Triple Crown fame. Finishing a close second to that rival in the 1998 Kentucky Derby and Preakness (G1), Victory Gallop surged from almost last to get his nose in front at the wire in a thrilling edition of the Belmont Stakes (G1). The following year, he earned an Eclipse Award as the 1999 Champion Older Horse despite not competing in the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1). 

Victory Gallop currently has 40 stakes winners as a damsire, and his daughter’s offspring win over all surfaces and are capable from sprints to classic distances. 

AT STUD

Neolithic has been a top ten leading sire since 2023. Florida’s Leading Freshman Sire in 2021, Neolithic was the leading second-crop sire of 2022 and the leading third-crop sire of 2023 by Cumulative Earnings on all surfaces.  

He led the all-weather sire list three times and twice led the turf sire list. Currently, he tops the turf and synthetic charts and is among the top three leading sires on all surfaces. As of March 2026, he has sired 98 winners from 193 foals, and nine stakes winners, an above average 9%.  

“[Neolithic] gets solid runners. He is a trainer’s delight as far as a horse in the barn,” Pleasant Acres Stallions Stallion Manager Christine Jones said. “I have so many trainers that tell me now that, yeah, send me a new Neolithic and I’ll be really happy.”

Neolithic’s top performer, the Grade 1-placed Florida-bred Neoequos (Neolithic – Bold Birdie, by Birdstone) has won stakes over dirt and turf, with present earnings of $501,725 in 13 starts. 

Last year, he placed third in the Fountain of Youth (G2) and Florida Derby (G1) before dominating sprinters by nearly four lengths in the $95,000 Jersey Shore Stakes at Monmouth. In January 2026, in his first attempt over Gulfstream’s lawn, Neoequos kicked off his 4-year-old season with a commanding two-length victory in the $75,000 Sunshine Turf Stakes versus Florida-breds. 

 

With a growing roster of winners and an above-average percentage of stakes performers, Neolithic has quickly established himself as a consistent source of versatile runners in the Sunshine State.

Neolithic stands for $5,000 at Pleasant Acres Stallions.

Return to the March 18 issue of Wire to Wire