Starlight Runners Shining Bright

Starlight Racing has enjoyed considerable success at the Gulfstream Park Championship Meet over the years, and the stable is off to another hot start with a trio of wins in the first two weeks of this year's stand. With several of the stable's established stars also approaching a return to action, founder Jack Wolf and partners have much to look forward to in the coming months.

Trainer Todd Pletcher sent out two Starlight juvenile maiden winners over this past weekend, highlighted by Neolithic (Harlan's Holiday)'s rallying victory in a 1 1/16-mile test Saturday. Wolf noted that while Neolithic still has significant room for improvement, he is hopeful that the colt will follow a similar trajectory to Itsaknockout (Lemon Drop Kid), who captured the

GII Fountain of Youth S. for Starlight at last year's meet.

“[Rider] Johnny Velazquez said [Neolithic] was very green,” commented Wolf. “He had to ride him the whole way. I haven't seen the [Ragozin] numbers yet, but he was five and six wide the whole time. He had a 79 Beyer, so I would suspect his Rag number might be significantly better than you would think it would be. The fractions weren't slow, but for a horse to close into those fractions was pretty impressive.”

With a win in his first try around two turns under his belt, Starlight and Pletcher will decide a plan for Neolithic on a race-by-race basis.

“We'll probably look for an allowance race for him next time going two turns,” Wolf said. “If he gets a little more professional and runs a nice race there, the dream is still alive.”

Sunday's card at Gulfstream saw two successful first-time turf performances for Starlight and Pletcher, who is clicking at a remarkable 45% win rate at the young meet. The 2-year-old filly Castor (Malibu Moon) captured a 7 1/2-furlong maiden event, while sophomore Tasunke (Indian Charlie) completed a Pletcher-trained exacta in a contentious allowance race. Wolf said that based on feedback from Velazquez, Pletcher plans to keep both fillies on the grass in the future.

Pletcher is also busy plotting a schedule for Itsaknockout, who won three times in Hallandale last winter and has not competed since a ninth-place finish in the GI Kentucky Derby May 2. The bay recently worked a bullet five furlongs in 1:00.69 at Palm Beach Downs Sunday and is nearing a race in the next few weeks.

“We saw the horse breeze [Sunday] morning,” Wolf explained. “He's really doing well and he looks fantastic. I was talking to the exercise rider and she's been around him since the get go and she thinks he's matured a lot–he's a lot more laid back. We'll be no worse for the wear with his time off, and hopefully even better. As far as when we're bringing the horse back, I think it will be relatively soon if we can find an allowance race or one of these stakes races like the [GIII Hal's Hope H. Jan. 9].”

Itsaknockout is joined on the comeback trail by classmate Two Weeks Off (Harlan's Holiday), who likewise has been off since a fifth-place run in the GII Woody Stephens S. in June; and Grade II-winning and GISP 2-year-old Uncle Vinny (Uncle Mo). Although both colts will soon return to breezing at J.J. Pletcher's Payton Training Center, Wolf cautioned that there is no pressure to get Uncle Vinny back into race shape in time for the major Kentucky Derby preps.

“[Uncle Vinny] had a chip in his ankle, and we removed that,” explained Wolf. “There was no other damage, so we should see him back breezing at J.J.'s within two weeks. I don't know that we're going to have him back for the early races [on the Triple Crown trail], but he'll be no worse for the wear.”

As disappointing as it may have been to miss a number of important races with their absent runners, Wolf said he is optimistic about the coming year with an arsenal that is nearing full restoration.

“I'll tell you what, about six months ago, we were loaded,” quipped Wolf. “Well, the good news is that they all are going to come back. We should hopefully really have a nice year–knock on wood. But hopefully they come back stronger and do what we think they would have done over the second half of last year.”