National Identity heads Gargan trio in $135K Haynesfield

Reeves Thoroughbred Racing’s National Identity is on a four-race win streak heading into Sunday’s $135,000 Haynesfield, a one-turn mile for older New York-breds, on Closing Day of the winter meet at Aqueduct Racetrack. 

Trained by Danny Gargan, the 4-year-old Solomini colt was a distant third to returning rival Prince Valiant in the 6 1/2-furlong NYSSS Times Square last April here and returned in September off a more than five-month respite to begin his current win streak following a tie-back procedure on his throat.

National Identity’s current run of form features three local allowance-level scores, including by 4 1/4 lengths versus open company sprinting 6 1/2 furlongs in January. He exited that effort for a last-out pacesetting 1 3/4-length win in the seven-furlong state-bred Say Florida Sandy on Valentine’s Day here. 

“He’s doing really well,” said Gargan. “He’s ready to run. He could be the favorite in this race. The mile is always a question, but he got seven-eighths pretty nice in his last race. He has run a mile once and he got beat a nose, and he’s doing really good.”

Last year, National Identity was a nose second to Soontobeking in the state-bred one-turn mile Gander in March to cap a stretch of three consecutive runner-up finishes by less than one length, notably in the $500,000 NYSSS Great White Way in December 2024. 

“Obviously, he’s now won four-in-a-row. I’d like to win five-in-a-row. He’s really good right now. I think this is a good spot,” Gargan said. 

National Identity [post 6, Kendrick Carmouche], bred by Hunter Valley Farm, is 10-5-3-2 overall with $433,800 in earnings, each of those 10 starts made at the Big A. The $150,000 purchase at the 2023 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Preferred New York-bred Yearling Sale is out of the Indian Charlie mare Cheyenne Autumn, who produced Grade 3-placed Firecrow.

Gargan also entered R. A. Hill Stable’s homebred Russian Realm [post 5, Flavien Prat] and Reeves Thoroughbred Racing’s stakes-placed Radio Red [post 9, Luis Rivera, Jr.], bred by Windylea Farm. 

Russian Realm has made his last four efforts over course and distance, including two wins ahead of a last-out belatedly-rallying fourth behind returning rival Donegal Surges in an open optional claimer on February 28. Both of the 5-year-old Constitution gelding’s aforementioned wins featured late rushes to victory from far back under returning rider Flavien Prat. 

“He is better than his last race showed,” Gargan said. “He got into some trouble in that race, so it is more of a toss. I’m not saying he wins that race, but he should’ve been closer. Speed was totally dominant that day, too, it was just one of those things. Donegal Surges was on the lead and just kept going. That’s the way it goes sometimes.” 

The other entrant, Radio Red, a 6-year-old The Big Beast gelding, comes from a 3 1/2-length claiming score going seven furlongs on February 19 here that earned a career-best 96 Beyer Speed Figure. That was his first effort since being eased home in an optional claimer during the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival in June at Saratoga Race Course. 

“He ran really impressively the other day,” Gargan said. “On his best day, he can run with these horses numbers-wise, but it’s a tough spot for him.” 

Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher provides stiff competition with Donegal Racing’s multiple stakes-placed Donegal Surges [post 1, Manny Franco] and Red Oak Stable’s stakes-winner Prince Valiant [post 3, Jose Lezcano]. 

Donegal Surges, a 6-year-old Candy Ride horse, enters from a 1 1/2-length pacesetting score over good footing going the one-turn mile on February 28 here. The bay earned his first win since September 2024, also having crossed the wire first over course and distance in December but demoted to second after drifting out in the lane, which earned a career-best 99 Beyer. That runner-up finish was his first effort with blinkers on, which he has also sported in his last two outings. 

“He’s a horse that’s always put up good numbers,” said Stu Hampson, Pletcher’s Belmont Park-based assistant. “Probably to his detriment, he has been in some tough races against good horses along the way. He’s a very capable horse that seems to be doing well and has found his stride these last couple of races.”

Donegal Surges has hit the board in 5-of-7 stakes attempts, his last try a third in the 2024 Empire Classic traveling nine furlongs here. The veteran, bred by Chester and Mary Broman, is 18-5-4-3 overall with $431,880 in earnings.

Prince Valiant, winner of the 6 1/2-furlong NYSSS Times Square last April here, ran a 99 Beyer last out when wiring a local seven-furlong open allowance from the outermost post 8 on February 6. The 4-year-old King for a Day colt was making his second start off the layoff after finishing a tired fifth in a similar contest at 6 1/2 furlongs in January here.  

“Prince Valiant ran an enormous race last time and he might have been a beneficiary of the type of track that day, but at the same time, he’s a horse that has consistently ran good numbers,” Hampson said. “He seems to have improved from three to four. He ran a career-best race last time, and hopefully he has a similar performance on Sunday.”

Prince Valiant’s last stakes attempt was a third in the state-bred seven-furlong Mike Lee in June during the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival, among his 7-4-0-2 overall record with $274,470 in earnings. Bred by Sugar Maple Farm, Prince Valiant, a $50,000 purchase at the 2022 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Fall Mixed Sale, is out of the winning D’ Funnybone mare Lizzy’s Fun.

Rounding out the field is dual Grade 3-placed General Banker [post 8, Reylu Gutierrez] for trainer Jimmy Ferraro; multiple stakes-placed Dr. Kraft [post 7, Gokhan Kocakaya] for conditioner Ilkay Kantarmaci and Quick to Accuse [post 4, Jaime Rodriguez] for trainer Panagiotis Synnefias; and stakes-placed Smilensaycheese [post 2, Jorge Vargas, Jr.] for trainer Edward DeLauro.

The Haynesfield is slated as Race 8 on Sunday’s eight-race card, which features the Listed $175,000 Top Flight in Race 7. First post is 1:10 p.m. Eastern.

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