Aqueduct | Race 5 | Post Time 3:16 p.m. (ET)
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DRF Past Performances
Perusing racing news often feels like mere doomscrolling, but peel back that tissue of trouble and the best horses, the heart of the sport, have a very strong pulse.
The Oaklawn Handicap was awesome, and Sovereignty, defeated, remains a fearsome beast. Burnham Square seemed like a serious grass horse winning the Elkhorn. Gezora makes her 2026 debut next week. This looks like the best Derby in a long time. The Oaks has heft.
Lots to look forward to, even if this Saturday’s stakes action came up light.
Royal Heroine
Wed, 04/22/2026 - 19:18
Aqueduct | Race 8 | Post Time 4:53 p.m. (ET)
I don't have a major problem with Aperitif (#8), who seems like the horse to beat based on her turf sprint efforts from last year. However, she is returning from a layoff and it's unclear if she'll be ready to return to that level in her first start off the bench.
Thu, 04/16/2026 - 15:43
Aqueduct | Race 6 | Post Time 3:48 p.m. (ET)
Turf season gets underway this week at Aqueduct, but it's actually one of Friday's four dirt contests that might be the most competitive race on the card. There's no clear favorite in the sixth race, which goes as a first-level New York-bred allowance over 1 1/8 miles. Only the two rivals who bookend this field are coming off victories, and they figure to attract support by virtue of those recent wins.
No idea what to expect Saturday when Sovereignty returns from an eight-month layoff in the Oaklawn Handicap. I do know that as 2025 wore on, I started strongly believing we were looking at the evolution of a truly great horse.
We also know Sovereignty is generally a disinterested work horse. He was getting outworked before the Fountain of Youth 13 months ago, and Sovereignty’s works this winter and spring look about the same. To win the Fountain of Youth, Sovereignty only had to beat River Thames. Journalism and White Abarrio, maybe even Publisher, pose a much sterner challenge.
RACE 8: DONCHO has become a new horse since placed on turf and when last seen was facing much tougher Grade 2 company. He projects to be the speed of the speed and will hope to set easy fractions and then hold off the closers. HAD TO HAVE HIM has a huge late kick as seen in back-to-back Laurel turf stakes triumphs. If all the speed collapses, he will be the one picking up the pieces late. SCHWARZMEIER put it all together in his last when widening on the lead and posting a new Beyer top at this distance. (3)
Sat, 04/11/2026 - 14:51
Aqueduct | Race 4 | Post Time 2:44 p.m. (ET)
Purple Divine (#4) is obviously the one to beat after twice running well against tougher fields since the claim by Ilkay Kantarmaci. She had performed better than it appears when she just barely lost to a couple of today's rivals on Feb. 27, making the first move into a fast pace before drifting down to a dead rail late. I have no major knocks against her other than the likely short price.