NYRA – Farewell Aqueduct: June 27-28
State of the Industry – The Habitat, and the Handle and the Owner
One of these 11 horses with their jockeys and trainers will be the last to cross the finish line in the last race ever held at Aqueduct Sunday, June 28, 2026.
| 1 | High Tide (KY) | 9/G | L | R Gutierrez | 126 | N Chatterpaul | |
| 2 | Sharp Spark (KY) | 5/G | L | M Franco | 126 | I Kantarmaci | |
| 3 | Missouri River (KY) | 5/G | L | R Silvera | 126 | M V Pino | |
| 4 | Assume Nothing (KY) | 6/G | L | J Rodriguez | 126 | J Ness | |
| 5 | Trusty Rusty (KY) | 6/G | L | K Carmouche | 126 | R B Hess, Jr. | |
| 6 | Tizmarkus (AR) | 5/G | L | J Lezcano | 126 | J W Ferraro | |
| 7 | Centavo (FL) | 8/G | O Hernandez Moreno | 126 | N Chatterpaul | ||
| 8 | Sara’s Shaman (KY) | 6/H | L | S Gonzalez | 126 | I Kantarmaci | |
| 9 | Peek (KY) | 6/G | L | D A Rivera | 126 | R R Rodriguez | |
| 10 | Concorde Spirit (NY) | 5/G | L | R Santana, Jr. | 126 | G Rodriguez | |
| 11 | Life and Light (ON) | 6/G | L | C Elliott | 126 | E Pringle |
Phil has a question:
How many fans watching the World Cup are aware that thoroughbreds once raced where SoFi now stands at what they still call Hollywood Park.
We’ve all heard various intonations of the phrase
When one door closes, fortune will usually open another.
Fernando De Rojas
However, we’ve seen the doors slammed shut at Blue Bonnets, Suffolk Downs, Calder, Bay Meadows, Golden Gate Fields, Hollywood Park, Arlington, Marquis Downs, Hastings Racecourse and now Aqueduct, but fortune has not opened another for the thoroughbred industry.
For the betting fan fortune has opened the sports betting door and once those fans walk through that door it’s tough impossible to get them back to thoroughbred racing.
Thoroughbred racing fans better enjoy what we have for as long as we have it.
Phil has a question:
Why can’t Horse Racing Alberta build interest in horse racing in Alberta as well as they’ve amassed a huge bureaucracy of useless window gazing sycophants.
TDN – Bill Finley – As The Curtain Comes Down on Aqueduct, Some Notable Figures Share Memories
Paulick Report – An Ode To Aqueduct Racetrack: How ‘The Big A’ Helped Build New York-Bred Success
DRF – David Grening – Through a press box window: History, a little charm, and traffic on the Belt
Paulick Report – Christian Abdo – John Hettinger Stakes Brings The Curtain Down At Aqueduct
Bloodhorse – Bob Ehalt – Final Post Time Nears for Aqueduct Racetrack
America’s Best Racing – Dan Tordjman – Saying Goodbye to Aqueduct
Bloodhorse – Bob Ehalt – From the Magazine: A Queens Farewell to Aqueduct
Canadian Thoroughbred – Jennifer Morrison – Memories of a Racetrack: Aqueduct to Close
Secretariat – Steve Haskin – Aqueduct Accolades Greatest Performances
With Aqueduct about to fade away with the setting Sunday finale everybody knows that Phil would be reprising Sal’s comments about fading media coverage for thoroughbred racing in New York:
Sal says that while Phil was able to read and post select writings from the NY Times – The Rail Blog all we’re left with today is the NY Times – Hoppert and Drape – Belmont 2017: Our Predictions to Win, Place and Show.
Sal doesn’t want to shatter your illusions that thoroughbred racing is prospering when the amount of landscape that thoroughbred racing retains in the major and minor newspapers’ sports sections couldn’t grow a handful of radishes.
An idea, like a ghost, must be spoken to a little before it will explain itself.
Charles Dickens
Phil has a question:
Did you notice that Phil and Sal were doing it long before Steve Kerr.
Bloodhorse – Sean Collins – Aqueduct’s Closing Weekend Focuses on Fan Involvement
6sqft – Devin Gannon – New York kicks off planning for 100-acre Aqueduct Racetrack redevelopment
6sqft – Aaron Ginsburg – Resorts World opens as first casino to offer live table games in NYC
The Queen’s Chronicle – – After 132 years, the Big A takes a final lap
Never delay kissing a pretty girl or opening a bottle of whiskey.
Bloodhorse – BackTrack: Theatrical Builds Big Season in Red Smith
The best 132 races of aqueduct
How did it get so late so soon?
Dr. Seuss
Bloodhorse – Trainers, Jockeys Share Aqueduct Memories
Bloodhorse – Aqueduct Bids Farewell on Closing Weekend
Phil has a question:
Will there be a bet on who will be the last horse to ever cross the finish line in a race at Aqueduct.
NewYork.com – Hunter DeVries – NYC’s Last Horse Racing Track Is Closing Forever
NYC’s Last Horse Racing Track Is Closing Forever
A Game Of Skill – Closing Day at Aqueduct – What You Need to Know
Track Dirt: The first 1,000 guests through the doors on Sunday, June 28 will receive a commemorative container of authentic track-used dirt from Aqueduct’s main track.
Program: All guests will receive a complimentary, special-edition program.
Free with paid admission, while supplies last.
Phil has a question:
Without Hollywood Park, Arlington and Aqueduct being replaced by new major tracks in new market cities how long can thoroughbred racing last.
Phil’s reprising:
Hard to believe that a over a decade has passed since the call to the post at Hollywood Park was replaced by the Last Post.
Phil never realized until he watched that replay that the winner of the 2009 Canadian Derby, Tommy Danzigger, raced in the last race that took place at Hollywood Park. Not only did he race in the last race at Hollywood Park he has the unique distinction of being the last horse to cross the Hollywood Park finish line in an official race as he finished 12th of 12. Of the 4 thoroughbred tracks that Tommy Danzigger raced at 3 are now shuttered.
The gain to the winner is always less than the loss to the loser.
Ian Fleming
However, to behold the scope of the new Hollywood Park development is to understand why Thoroughbred racing is armed only with a dull knife in a high calibre gunfight for even a small share of the sports economy. SoFi Stadium, ugly as it is, will be crammed to the gills on Feb. 13 for the Super Bowl, monopolizing both social and traditional media, while the name of Hollywood Park, when summoned, will mean something altogether different from its origin story.
Bloodhorse – Jay Hovdey – Hollywood Park History Buried Under Super Site
The man who complains about the way the ball bounces is likely the one who dropped it.
Lou Holtz
Phil’s Reprising:
Los Angeles Times – Cherwa – Horse racing newsletter: We’ll miss you, Arlington Park
The point of cities is multiplicity of choice.
Jane Jacobs
Phil M. Stockmen