Aqueduct Stakes Recaps: Damon Runyon, East View

Posted On 15 Feb 2026

Arctic Beast much the best in $135K Damon Runyon

By Keith McCalmont

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Arctic Beast, with his fourth win from five starts, remains undefeated in the Empire State after a sparkling 9 3/4-length romp in Saturday’s $135,000 Damon Runyon, a seven-furlong sprint for New York-bred sophomores, at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Trained by Mike Maker for Paradise Farms Corp., JP Racing Stable, David Staudacher, Zilla Racing Stables and P Shooter Stable, the Yaupon colt made every pole a winning one under regular pilot Ricardo Santana, Jr. avenging a 6 1/4-length second to Express Kid in the Listed Springboard Mile in December to close out his juvenile campaign at Remington Park in Oklahoma.

Peter Proscia of Paradise Farms Corp. said Arctic Beast more than made amends.

“It was a pretty good race last time, but we thought we’d cut him back and give him a little time and this was a good spot back to New York-breds,” Proscia said. “We’ll see what happens from here. If he comes back good, we’ll look for maybe something [with] a little more competition – perhaps open [company]. One race at a time.

“He [Santana, Jr.] had a lot of horse here,” Proscia added. “I think seven-eighths, a mile, is going to be OK. We’ll probably give him a month, or at least five weeks, and see what comes up.”

Arctic Beast broke alertly from the outermost post 6 and showed the way through an opening quarter-mile in 23.19 seconds over the fast main track with Combat Mission, Time to Roll and Mission Critical stalking his early foot.

Combat Mission advanced to press the pace late in the turn, but Arctic Beast maintained his advantage after a half-mile in 46.99 and once straightened away continued to find more. Arctic Beast opened up by 6 1/2-lengths at the stretch call and pulled away from the field to win comfortably in hand in a final time of 1:25.11.

Santana, Jr. said he wanted to take advantage of Arctic Beast’s natural speed.

“In Remington, first time two turns, I was talking to one owner, and I said, ‘I don’t think that’s a good idea to go to the lead first time two turns.’ I knew he was going to get a little tired, so we decided to take him back. We were happy with him and the way he relaxed,” Santana, Jr. said. “Today, I said ‘I know the track is playing speed, and he’s fast.’ I thought I had much the best horse in the race, I decided to take the lead, and he was much the best today.”

Combat Mission completed the exacta by 3 1/4-lengths over Time to Roll with Mission Critical, Royal Riddle and Portadown Lad rounding out the order of finish. Combat Mission was found to be lame right front walking back after unsaddling and was provided a precautionary ride to the barn area in the equine ambulance.

Arctic Beast won his first three career starts – all against fellow state-breds – graduating in August at Saratoga Race Course by a nose over Valentine Crusader. He made his next two starts in stakes company at Finger Lakes Racetrack, taking the Aspirant in September by 7 1/4-lengths and the New York Breeders’ Futurity in October by 5 3/4-lengths.

Arctic Beast was selected by Maker for $275,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Preferred New York-bred Yearling Sale. Bred by Rockridge Stud, Saratoga Glen Farm and Beal’s Racing Stable, Arctic Beast is out of the dual stakes-winning Frost Giant mare Frostie Anne – a half-sister to dual stakes-winner Freudie Anne.

Arctic Beast banked $74,250 in victory while improving his record to 5-4-1-0. He returned $3.58 for a $2 win bet as the 3-5 mutuel favorite.

Live racing resumes Sunday at the Big A with an eight-race card. First post is 1:10 p.m. Eastern.

America’s Day at the Races presents live coverage and analysis of every day of the Aqueduct Racetrack winter meet on the networks of FOX Sports. For the broadcast schedule and channel finder, visit https://www.nyra.com/aqueduct/racing/tv-schedule.

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Galinda too good in $135K East View romp

By Mary Eddy

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Waterville Lake Stables’ Galinda was a popular winner of Saturday’s $135,000 East View, living up to her 6-5 favoritism with a 9 1/4-length trouncing under Jaime Rodriguez in the seven-furlong sprint for New York-bred sophomore fillies at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Trained by Miguel Clement, the well-named daughter of Good Magic is now a perfect 2-for-2 in her young career, adding to a debut win by three-quarter-lengths when sitting just off the pace in a January 10 six-furlong state-bred maiden here.

“She’s talented, and she’s versatile,” Clement said. “She won her debut from off the pace, and today she went straight to the front. She’s got gears, and she’s very talented, this filly. We’re very, very lucky.

“She handled today with relative ease,” Clement added. “At every stage of the race, I thought she looked like a winner. She dominated, and at any given stage, I was never worried. Jaime looked like he had his hands full, and it was just a question of when he wanted to make his move and how much he wanted to win by.”

Galinda broke alertly from post 4-of-5 and made the lead with little pressure after potential pace presence Pinky Brier was away awkwardly and bobbled from the inside post to track in fourth.

“If the one [Pinky Brier] goes, I sit second but if the one don’t go, the plan was go to the lead,” Rodriguez explained. “Everything worked out the way we wanted it. The one got left, we got the shot to drop her to the rail and every time someone got next to her, she just wanted to keep going.”

Rodriguez angled Galinda down to the inside to float through the opening quarter-mile in 23.64 seconds over the fast footing, with Victory Hall sitting a half-length off her and Pinky Brier being ridden along in tandem with Rina’s Revenge. The half-mile elapsed in 47.38 seconds, and Galinda showed no signs of slowing down, extending her margin through the turn as Rina’s Revenge angled wide around Victory Hall in an effort to reel in the pacesetter.

“I was patient – waiting, waiting, waiting,” Rodriguez added. “Once we got to the quarter-pole, I showed the whip, and she gave me everything.”

Galinda’s rivals were all-out entering the stretch, and were no match as she skipped through three-quarters in 1:11.98 and romped through the final sixteenth to win wrapped up in a final time of 1:24.97 over Rina’s Revenge. Victory Hall finished another two lengths back in third with Purple Devine and Pinky Brier completing the order of finish. Blue Note was scratched.

Clement said he would like to stretch Galinda out a bit more in her next start, but prefers to keep her around one turn. The next offerings for sophomore fillies at the Big A include the one-mile state-bred Maddie May on March 7 and the nine-furlong Grade 3, $200,000 Gazelle on April 4, but Clement said the one-turn 1 1/16-mile Virginia Oaks on March 14 at Colonial Downs is a logical target.

“I think the one we consider strongly is the Virginia Oaks. It’s one turn, but still stretching her,” Clement said. “I don’t know how distance-limited she is, to be frank, but we shall see. She’s a good filly.”

Tim Tully, partner in Waterville Lake Stables, said Galinda is the latest example of the appeal of the New York-bred program.

“We think the New York breeding program is great and to come into our second start and win a stakes race like this speaks to the program,” Tully said. “A $135,000 purse is pretty strong.”

Bred by Daniel J. Burke and Kathleen Burke Schweizer, Galinda was a $120,000 purchase at the 2024 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga New York-bred Preferred Yearling Sale and is out of the stakes-winning Super Saver mare Super Humor. She banked $74,250 in victory while returning $4.44 on a $2 win ticket.

Live racing resumes Sunday at the Big A with an eight-race card. First post is 1:10 p.m. Eastern.