Aqueduct

LIGHTS OUT LENI (Speightstown) was well-backed by the betting public as the 6-5 favorite for her debut here. The filly meant business at the bell and proceeded to make every pole a winning one through the top of the lane. Making the most of her unveiling, the 3-year-old sailed home a no-doubt graduate for Al Gold. Directive (Gun Runner) was the runner-up. The winner's dam is responsible for 2-year-old colt Sultan of Swing (Justify) and a yearling filly by Yaupon. A half-sister to GI TVG Acorn Stake heroine Sweet Reason...

TDN's Senior Racing Editor Steve Sherack provides analysis for Saturday's GI Toyota Blue Grass S. at Keeneland, GI Santa Anita Derby and GII Wood Memorial S. at Aqueduct. All three offer 100-50-25-15-10 points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby. Last Saturday's Results - Commandment (Into Mischief) established himself as one of the leading contenders for the Kentucky Derby with a thrilling last-to-first victory at 9-5 in the GI Curlin Florida Derby. Blackout Time (Not This Time) sat the trip I was looking for just behind the leaders, but had...

4th-KEE, $110K, Msw, 3yo, f, 6 1/2f, 2:36 p.m. ET. PHANTOM BLUE (Ghostzapper), a Resolute Racing purchase for $1.2-million during the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select Yearling Sale, was sent to trainer Brendan Walsh. Out of the winning Seeking the Blue (Arch), the filly is a half-sister to MGSP Janis Joplin (California Chrome), MSP Vino Rouge (Vino Rosso) and as of Mar. 27 she has a new half-brother by Not This Time. Phantom Blue's third dam is MGSW Atlantic Ocean (Stormy Atlantic). On the same Speightstown-Medaglia d'Oro cross that yielded current sires...

This week's rankings include two Oaks-bound fillies and a remarkable Arkansas-bred mare. 6-RASHMI, SA, Wilshire Stakes (Gr. III), 3/28, 1 mile (turf) (VIDEO) Beyer Speed Figure-89 (m, 5, Oscar Performance--Ponytail, by Lonhro ({Aus}) O-Augustin Stables. B-George Strawbridge (Ky). T-Jonathan Thomas. J-Kasushi Kimura. The Strawbridge homebred came out firing despite a year-plus layoff to decisively earn her second graded score at 2/5 odds against four rivals with no graded black type. Thomas explained that Rashmi's layoff involved no major issues and that she has returned a "bigger, stronger version of herself."...

5th-AQU, 80K, Msw, 3yo, 6 1/2f, 3:16 p.m. Breaking from the rail, Juddmonte homebred SILVER TALENT (Constitution) is a son of MGISW Paulassilverlining and a half-brother to SW/MGSP and 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' Artorius (Arrogate). Paulassilverlining, who banked north of $1.5-million on the track, is herself a half to another MGISW in Dads Cap (Discreet Cat). He's one of two Chad Brown entries, the other being... Cold Draft Beer (Omaha Beach), a half-brother to Eclipse-winning sprinter Straight No Chaser (Speightster) as well as SW T Kraft (Connect) and...

The New York Racing Association (NYRA) and Hector Soler, who worked as the head starter at Aqueduct Racetrack, Belmont Park and Saratoga Race Course between 2020 and 2025, have entered into a settlement agreement in which NYRA will pay Soler two separate sums, one which the parties agreed to keep confidential in exchange for Soler dropping an "unlawful discrimination and retaliation" lawsuit he initiated last year in the wake of being fired by NYRA. The "stipulation of final order and dismissal" was posted Mar. 27 on the docket for the...

Keeneland's Spring Meet will feature expanded national television coverage of major races during the first two Saturdays of the season, and debut a range of digital tools and wagering enhancements designed to provide horseplayers with information and betting opportunities, the track said via a press release on Thursday. Fans can watch the entire meet through Keeneland's livestream, available on Keeneland.com, the Keeneland YouTube channel and the Keeneland Race Day app. Throughout the Spring Meet, racing fans can turn to FanDuel TV for daily coverage beginning at noon ET. In addition,...

This week's list starts with a venerable 7-year-old, but gets younger as it goes. 6. GOLDEN EIB MICRPHN, PRX, 3/17-Allowance, 1 mile 70 yards (VIDEO) Beyer Speed Figure-85 (m, 7, by Keen Ice--Annabill, by Outflanker) O-Super C Racing and Jagger. B-Calumet Farm (Ky). T-Jamie Ness. J-Mychel Sanchez. Flashing "talent on loan from God" in earning a career-high Beyer, the former $4,000 yearling continued her upward track since being claimed Dec. 28 by Parx perennial leading trainer Jamie Ness for $12,500. In 39 starts prior to the claim, she topped 70...

The 2026 start of turf racing at Aqueduct Racetrack will be moved back two weeks due to the impact of heavy snowfall in January and February paired with continued cold overnight temperatures in March, according to The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) release Sunday. Turf racing was initially slated to begin on Friday, Apr. 3, but the launch of the 2026 grass campaign on the NYRA circuit will move to Thursday, Apr. 16. The Listed $150,000 Plenty of Grace Stakes, which was slated to be the first turf stakes...

Civil Liberty (Independence Hall), third-place finisher in last summer's GI Del Mar Futurity and a maiden of four career starts, will look to graduate in the GII Wood Memorial S. at Aqueduct Apr. 4. The 1 1/8-mile Wood Memorial offers 100-50-25-15-10 Kentucky Derby qualifying points. "That's definitely our goal," trainer Doug O'Neill said of the Wood Memorial. "He acts like the distance won't be a problem for him at all. It wasn't a problem for his pops--his dad could run the distance. We're excited about him." Carrying the colors of...

1st-AQU, 80K, Msw, 3yo, f, 6f, 1:10 p.m. FUSION (Into Mischief), the second foal out of MGISW and 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' Separationofpowers, debuts Sunday in New York for the partnership of Qatar Racing and Mountmellick Farm and trainer Chad Brown. The mare has already produced a winner from her first foal, this filly's full-brother, Poulsen, who went Japan's way for $925,000 at OBS April in 2024. Separationofpowers sold to Hunter Valley Farm for $2.1-million at Fasig-Tipton's November Sale in 2019 before going back through that same ring...

As expected, Gulfstream's loaded Fountain of Youth card provides fast fillies--but topping this week's list is a breakout performance at Turfway Park. 5. WITH THE ANGELS, AQU, 3/1, Correction Stakes, 6 furlongs Beyer Speed Figure- 93, 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard'. (f, 4, by Omaha Beach--Sister Margaret, by Pulpit) O-Winning Move Stable, John Oxley, Sheila Stable, Silverwood Stables and Sanford Robbins. B-Joseph DeRico (NY). T-Linda Rice. J-Jose Lezcano. Rice says With the Angels "never makes a wrong move," and after demoralizing her New York-bred competition last summer and fall,...