Millionaire Neat Outclasses Rivals in Miami Mile Handicap

Multiple Graded Winner Gives Jockey Gonzalez Stakes Sweep

HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – Paradise Farms Corp. and David Staudacher’s Neat, the millionaire multiple graded-stakes winner racing first time for new connections, came from off the pace to wear down favored Indecisiveness in mid-stretch and go on to a 1 ½-length victory in Saturday’s $65,000 Miami Mile overnight handicap at Gulfstream Park.

The Miami Mile for 3-year-olds and up going two turns on the grass was the second of two stakes on a 10-race program, following Stick Talk’s triumph in the $75,000 Palm Bay overnight handicap for 2-year-olds on the main track.

Neat ($7.40), making his debut for trainer Mike Maker, covered a turf course rated good in 1:34.31 to give jockey Edwin Gonzalez a sweep of the day’s stakes.

“It feels great. I just try to keep working hard for all the trainers and the owners that give me the opportunity,” Gonzalez said. “[Stick Talk], I break his maiden already and rode him a couple times. He had blinkers today and the extra distance helped me a lot. [Neat], they didn’t give me too much instructions. They said, ‘Break running, and you know what to do.’”

Breaking from outermost Post 7, Gonzalez settled in fifth as 18-1 longshot Prevent and 3-2 favorite Indecisiveness sped through fractions of 22.85 and 46.18 seconds to open up on the field. The gap closed quickly leaving the backstretch with Neat moving quickest of all on the far outside, sweeping into contention around the far turn.

Indecisiveness’ lead was short-lived as 5-year-old Neat snatched it away after turning for home and went on to his eighth win in 23 starts and sixth in stakes company including the Transylvania (G3), Manila (G3) and Hall of Fame (G2) in 2024. The victory pushed his career bankroll to $1,048,135.

“When we were warming up, he showed me a lot before the race. He’s a very nice horse,” Gonzalez said. “I know I have plenty of speed in the race. I just sat there perfect and waited for the chance to make the jump on those horses and we got the job done.

“He gave me everything he had,” he added. “I broke running and I had to get some position in the first couple turns and then I made my move. He finished really strong. When I asked him, he picked it up and changed leads and kicked on.”

I Know I Know got up to be second, with Grade 2 winner Steal Sunshine third and Divin Propos and Jayhawk dead-heating for fourth. Indecisiveness and Prevent completed the order of finish. Grade 1-winning millionaire Win for the Money and Tank, a multiple stakes winner on the all-weather Tapeta, were scratched.