BY BROCK SHERIDAN

It was reported Friday by Daily Racing Form that Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert has withdrawn Madaket Road from contention for this year’s Grade 1 Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve, leading Florida-bred Neoequos to be first on the list of also eligibles. Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners’ Built officially draws into the Derby field, which has been limited to 20 starters since 1975.

The top 17 point earners receive a spot in the starting gate for the 151st running of the Kentucky Derby which is scheduled for Saturday, May 3. Two invitations are extended to the top point earners in the Euro/Mideast Road to the Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve and one invitation is extended to the top point earner in the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve.

Neoequos would need the defection of at least one more 3-year-old currently listed among the top 20 contenders to get a starting spot in the Kentucky Derby.

Last year, Epic Ride scratched into the Derby field from No. 21 on the Tuesday preceding the race when Encino was withdrawn. In 2023, four horses were scratched from the Derby entries during the seven days preceding the race and in 2022, Derby-winner Rich Strike made the starting gate at the last minute when Ethereal Road was scratched the day before the Run for the Roses.

Trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. is training Neoequos in the case of such contingency, working Neolithic Friday morning at Gulfstream.

“Right now, we’re going to the Derby. The distance is still a question mark, but he keeps running well enough and fast enough on the figures to keep going and try,” Joseph said.

The son of Pleasant Acres Stallions’ Neolithic breezed five furlongs in 1:00.51 in company with stablemate Mr. Narcissistic.

“It was a solid work. He sat a bit off his workmate and finished up decent,” Joseph said. “He’s a horse that once he makes the lead, he kind of doesn’t really go on much once he goes by the horse. That’s something that we’ve been working on and will continue to work on.”

Joseph said Neoequos is expected to breeze one more time at Gulfstream Park prior to shipping to Churchill Downs.

“Right now, I’m probably leaning toward working him one more time and then head to Churchill,” Joseph said. “He might work next Thursday. Either Thursday or Friday next week. Probably next Thursday and then ship in [Friday].”

Neoequos currently has 40 points on the Kentucky Derby Leaderboard. He earned 15 points for finishing third behind winner Sovereignty in the Coolmore Fountain of Yourth (G2) on March 1 and 25 points for coming in third in the Curlin Florida Derby presented by Hill ‘n’ Dale Farms at Xalapa (G1) won by Tappan Street on March 29, both at Gulfstream.

 

Neoequos is owned by brothers Clint Cornett of Flower Mound, Tex., and Mark Cornett of Naples, Fla., who race in the name of C2 Racing LLC; Thomas Carney of Del Ray Beach, Fla., Edwin A. Wilson and Stefanie Wilson of Boca Raton, Fla., who race in the name of Stefania Farms; Morgan Lynn Joseph’s Shining Stable LLC of Hollywood Fla., and Ian Parsard of Jamaica.

He is out of Bold Birdie, by Birdstone and was bred in Florida by Helen and Joseph Barbazon and Matalona Thoroughbreds LLC.

An earner of $291,050, Neoequos has two wins, two seconds and two thirds from seven career starts. He was purchased by Joseph for $22,000 at the 2023 Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company October Yearling Sale where he was consigned by Lisa McGreevy’s Abbie Road Farm consignment based in Citra, Fla.

Should Neoequos make the Derby field, he would be the 121st Florida-bred starter. The last Florida-bred to run in the Kentucky Derby was Tami Bobo and Tristan de Meric’s Simplification, who finished fourth in Rich Strike’s 2022 Derby.

Florida breeders have produced more Kentucky Derby winners than any other country, state or province outside Kentucky with six including Needles (1956), Carry Back (1961), Foolish Pleasure (1975), Affirmed (1978), Unbridled (1990) and Silver Charm (1997). There have been 18 Florida-breds to finish in the top three, the last of which was Reeves Thoroughbred Racing and Dream Team Racing One’s Mucho Macho Man, who in 2011 was third behind winner Animal Kingdom.

Return to the April 19 issue of Wire to Wire