Imported seven-year-old bay gelding Neo Star made a return to the winners’ enclosure on Saturday, March 7, with a determined victory in the two-turn, nine furlongs and 25 yards Overnight Allowance event.
The win marked a long-awaited success for the seasoned campaigner, who last tasted victory almost a year earlier on March 23, 2025, when he defeated Mahogany and Divine Force over 7 ½ furlongs.
Trainer Anthony Nunes, visibly appreciative of the effort, reflected on the performance with a mix of relief and admiration.
“Yes, it has been a while. When the race started, Neo Star (ridden by Tajay Suckoo) had a bad break, and I thought that was it—it was going to be difficult from there as he must get tired. Yet, he slowly got closer, raced well down the backstretch, and even then, I thought fatigue would set in.
“Clearly, Don Kwesi got tired, and we were fortunate. Considering he gave it all away at the gates, I was surprised he still had the energy to run them back down and win,” Nunes shared in his post-race comments.
Despite the early setback, Neo Star showed resilience, gradually improving position before a strong rally in the stretch. His determination carried him past rivals to secure his eighth career victory from 27 starts.
Don Kwesi (Dane Dawkins) fought bravely to finish second, solidifying his place in Overnight company after only two attempts, while Brenda Boy (Robert Halledeen) stayed on for third.
The race was contested through splits of 25.4, 50.0, and 1:16.0, with Neo Star stopping the clock at 1:58.0. The winning margins were 2 ½ lengths by 7 ¾ lengths, a decisive display that closed a five-timer for trainer Nunes and a two-timer for jockey Suckoo on the day.
