DRF's Horse Racing Playbook for Thursday, February 19, 2026
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Daily Racing Form has served as the most trusted source of news and information about the sport since 1894, and moving forward we have decided to provide a free daily playbook – something that both hardcore horseplayers and casual observers can reference to get informed of each day’s action.
Post Time: 12:20 ET
Track: Gulfstream (1st Race)
Horse: NYFIVE (#5, 5-1)
NYFIVE has worked well since switching barns off the claim and did turn in a promising effort first time on grass in her 2-year-old finale. Barn has been hot of late. Could return quick dividends for new connections at a square price. -Mike Welsch | Get Past Performances for this race
Post Time: 1:30 ET
Track: Oaklawn (1st Race)
Horse: KAVA (#4, 12-1)
KAVA is appealing for her racing experience and the fact that she might be sitting on a peak effort in the third start of her form cycle. -Mary Rampellini | Get Past Performances for this race
Post Time: 1:50 ET
Track: Gulfstream (4th Race)
Horse: ESPERANZITO (#6, 5-1)
ESPERANZITO makes second start off an extended layoff and should improve off last one when beaten a head for second money by next out winner Power From Above who returned to beat many of these on 1/31. -Mike Welsch | Get Past Performances for this race
Post Time: 2:15 ET
Track: Fair Grounds (2nd Race)
Horse: LICENSE TO STEAL (#4, 6-1),
LICENSE TO STEAL when he made the lead two back, held second behind an odds-on favorite, sharp at the time. He's the controlling speed here - potentially - can he not show a little more gas, though? Slow fractions in all the recent starts. Guessing he can. Only these last three starts down at a level this low - not hard to see at least marginal improvement. -Marcus Hersh | Get Past Performances for this race
Post Time: 2:32 ET
Track: Oaklawn (3rd Race)
Horse: UNAUTHORIZED (#1, 4-1)
UNAUTHORIZED is a February foal who cuts back to one turn and his best finishes to date have come the configuration. He also adds a set of blinkers, which is a high-percentage move for Brisset. -Mary Rampellini | Get Past Performances for this race
Post Time: 2:42 ET
Track: Aqueduct (4th Race)
Horse: QUIET WISDOM (#7, 10-1)
QUIET WISDOM was forced to carry a long, wide run when just missing the last time he raced at this level going this distance; tried going longer when back down in class last time, and he is better going shorter; right back at the same level and turns back off the claim. -Mike Beer | Get Past Performances for this race
Post Time: 3:03 ET
Track: Oaklawn (4th Race)
Horse: CAPITAL CONNECTION (#3, 4-1)
CAPITAL CONNECTION returned from a layoff last out and ran a credible third against steeper. He is appealing for his consistent nature and would seem to have reason to move forward here, in his second start since June 2024. -Mary Rampellini | Get Past Performances for this race
Post Time: 3:12 ET
Track: Aqueduct (5th Race)
Horse: TAMMY'S CRUISER (#8, 8-1)
TAMMY'S CRUISER was competitive with tougher competition in Kentucky as a 3yo; ran well in her first start last year at Keeneland, then missed a lot of time, and appeared to need that first start back when claimed away from Linda Rice; didn't improve at all when behind a wire-to-wire winner last time; willing to give her one more chance as the drops for her third start back. -Mike Beer | Get Past Performances for this race
Post Time: 3:15 ET
Track: Fair Grounds (4th Race)
Horse: BOLD DISCOVERY (#5, 12-1)
BOLD DISCOVERY is a DRF Best Bet (Marcus Hersh). | Get Past Performances for this race
Post Time: 3:20 ET
Track: Gulfstream (7th Race)
Horse: CHALKY WHITE (#6, 5-1)
CHALKY WHITE plunges to the bottom, returns to Tapeta, shortens to a sprint and lures Irad for the occasion. Back on short rest but perhaps well spotted to get back on winning track for first time since last summer at the Spa. -Mike Welsch | Get Past Performances for this race
Post Time: 4:15 ET
Track: Fair Grounds (6th Race)
Horse: AD HOC (#10, 10-1)
Can't see any of those works from first-timer AD HOC - but there sure are a lot of them! The pattern's quite encouraging, the sire hits hard with grass horses - guess is he's coming up very live here. -Marcus Hersh | Get Past Performances for this race
Post Time: 4:43 ET
Track: Aqueduct (8th Race)
Horse: SUPERPOWER (#7, 5-1)
SUPERPOWER earned a 78 Beyer while game in victory breaking his maiden early last year; didn't run as poorly as it might look in Maryland after that, as he pulled difficult trips both times while trying to use his speed; ran poorly off the long layoff last time, though the winner of that race looks like a stakes horse; drops with speed. -Mike Beer | Get Past Performances for this race
Post Time: 5:07 ET
Track: Oaklawn (8th Race)
Horse: RUN JALEN RUN (#11, 10-1)
RUN JALEN RUN is a five-time winner facing some less-experienced rivals and he also draws a post that might give Bacon options. -Mary Rampellini | Get Past Performances for this race
Post Time: 5:15 ET
Track: Fair Grounds (8th Race)
Horse: A PASSIVE NOBODY (#1, 10-1)
Find it a little interesting that after two pace-and-fade turf tries, A PASSIVE NOBODY in his most recent race wound up ninth, well back, and made a little run. Now runs first off claim and a freshening, and good first-claim barn adds blinkers. So many of these horses just take turns beating each other - this is a fresh face and a horse with far more room to improve than nearly all, if not all of his rivals. -Marcus Hersh | Get Past Performances for this race
Post Time: 5:35 ET
Track: Turf Paradise (6th Race)
Horse: CAGEY BURGLAR (#7, 9-2)
CAGEY BURGLAR got a taste of winning at Del Mar and simply liked it. Win rider stays put and this 5YO has a legit shot at the front end in this spot. His last race came back key when 2 of 7 returned to win with figs of 64 and 61 (another finished 2nd with a 64 Beyer). Team Bratcher are 2 for 6 with their horses that won their last race. -Scott Ehlers | Get Past Performances for this race
Post Time: 5:55 ET
Track: Turfway (1st Race)
Horse: QUOKKA (#1, 6-1)
QUOKKA draws ideally for a ground saving trip and gets a fast pace to close into. Class drop and weight break can't hurt. This gelding is cross entered on the 18th but is stuck on the AE list (12K claimer going a mile). A quick turnaround is noted. -Scott Ehlers | Get Past Performances for this race
Post Time: 7:55 ET
Track: Turfway (5th Race)
Horse: CAFE CULTURE (#2, 10-1)
CAFE CULTURE is by a 21% debut sire. Her dam went 2-0-0-1 and earned 6K. Of 5 sibs to race, 4 won and all 4 beat winners (55K, 46K, 756K, and 300K). Works are solid over at Horseshoe Indy. LAW OF LORY ran evenly in her debut and should get a ton out of that race. This is dam's first foal. Team Cox are 33% with their 2nd time maidens. Juddmonte homebred could be anything. -Scott Ehlers | Get Past Performances for this race
Post Time: 9:25 ET
Track: Turfway (8th Race)
Horse: MO WORK (#12, 8-1)
MO WORK is a DRF Best Bet (Scott Ehlers). | Get Past Performances for this race
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