BY GULFSTREAM PARK PRESS OFFICE
HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – C2 Racing Stable LLC, Ian Parsard, Shining Stables LLC and Stefania Farms LLC’s Neoequos breezed a half-mile Thursday morning at Gulfstream Park in preparation for a desired start in the May 3 Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) at Churchill Downs.
The Saffie Joseph Jr.-trained Florida-bred colt, who finished third in both the $1 million Curlin Florida Derby (G1) March 29 and $400,000 Coolmore Fountain of Youth (G2) March 1 at Gulfstream, sits first on the also-eligible list in the qualifying points standings for the first leg of the Triple Crown. The 3-year-old son of Neolithic will need a defection from the current Top 20 to run in the mile-and-a-quarter Run for the Roses.
Neoequos worked in company with Mr. Narcissistic and finished on even terms with his veteran stablemate in :48.43, the fastest four-furlong clocking of the morning.
“It went good. He worked in company. He was inside his workmate. It was his last breeze and we were just looking for maintenance,” Joseph said. “It went well. He’s in good form.”
Joseph reported that Neoequos will ship to Churchill Downs Friday morning.
“We feel like we can get into the Derby, but if he doesn’t get in, he’ll run in one of the other races Derby Day,” he said.
If unsuccessful drawing into the Derby field, Neoequos would run in either the American Turf (G1) or the Pat Day Mile (G2) on the undercard.
“Right now, we’re leaning to the American Turf, but the Pat Day Mile, I’d say, is also in contention,” Joseph said.
Flavien Prat will be named on Neoequos and would ride him in the Derby unless Baeza, who sits 23rd in the points standings, also drew into the field.
Neoequos’ career got off to a rocky start last July when he stumbled and lost his rider early in his debut at five furlongs. The Florida-bred colt bounced back to graduate in his next start before finishing second in the first two legs of the FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes series behind undefeated Rated by Merit, who produced the fastest Beyer Speed Figure (99) of all 2025 juveniles in the seven-furlong FSS Affirmed.
Neoequos was sharp off a layoff to win a Jan. 23 allowance by three-and-a-half lengths before finishing third behind Sovereignty and River Thames in the Coolmore Fountain of Youth and again in the Grade 1 Curlin Florida Derby behind Tappan Street and Sovereignty, both of whom are Kentucky Derby-bound.
Bred in Florida by Helen and Joseph Barbazon and Matalona Thoroughbreds LLC, Neoequos is out of Bold Birdie, by Birdstone. He has earnings of $291,050 from two wins, two seconds and two thirds in seven starts.
Return to the April 24 issue of Wire to Wire
