Neolithic Colt Can't Be Prevented From Soldier's Dancer Score

Sunday, July 6, 2025

Bernies Blog

HALLANDALE BEACH - Jockey Edgard Zayas put the finishing touches on a three-win Saturday at Gulfstream Park by guiding BC Racing’s Prevent to a front-running victory in the $75,000 Soldier’s Dancer and give the Royal Palm Meet’s leading rider a sweep of the afternoon stakes.

Racing with blinkers following an 11th-place finish in the 1 3/8-mile Mac Diarmida on March 1 on the Gulfstream turf, the 4-year-old colt by Pleasant Acres stallion Neolithic ($14.40) completed one mile and 70 yards on the all-weather Tapeta course in 1:39.31 to register his fifth career victory. It came four races after Zayas rallied Implementation to the wire first in the $75,000 Smile Sprint.

“It’s been a great day,” said Zayas, who tops the Gulfstream riders with 74 wins. “I’ve been getting on some good horses and getting pretty good support from all the trainers and owners. It’s been really good.”

Prevent broke alertly from Post 5 in a field of eight and went the opening quarter-mile in :23.63 seconds, given closest chase by turf stakes-winner and Gr. III-placed Tocayo in second with Spy Novel saving ground in third inside 24-1 long shot I Know I Know. The half went in :46.58 with no change in the top two, and Prevent straightened for home with a lead he held through the lane despite getting leg weary late.

“He was drifting out a little bit late but he’s the type of horse if you start fighting with him he gets to messing around,” Zayas said. “He drifted out but there was no one to the outside and he was running pretty good so I let him go. I feel like he’s a really tough horse to deal with and he can get a little rank,” he added. “There was some speed in the race so I was trying to let him go and see if he could settle a little bit, but he didn’t. He just took the lead and just kind of let him run and do his thing and he held on.”
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Kalik, sent off at 17-1, emerged from a tight pack in second, with I Know I Know third, 3-2 favorite Just a Photo fourth and Tocayo fifth. Grand Mo the First, the 9-5 program favorite, was scratched.