National Identity tops trio of Saturday stakes winners at the Big A
At 0h03, on February 19, 2026 • By Aqueduct Racetrack
Of three seven-furlong, $135,000 stakes for New York-breds on Saturday at Aqueduct Racetrack, the Say Florida Sandy for older horses produced the highest Beyer Speed Figure as Reeves Thoroughbred Racing’s National Identity netted a 96, just one point shy of his career-best.
Trained by Danny Gargan, the 4-year-old son of Solomini brought his win streak to four in-a-row after a trio of local allowance-level scores, including against open-company two starts back on January 4. The colt’s run of form makes him perfect since returning in September from a five-month respite wherein he had a tieback procedure performed on his throat.
In the Say Florida Sandy, National Identity took to the front in an early scramble for command and was pressured by a trio of rivals, but dispatched them with ease in the turn and kicked clear to a three-length lead at the stretch call. He faced a challenge from Acoustic Ave in the lane, but repelled it with relative ease to win by 1 3/4 lengths in a final time of 1:24.80.
Gargan said the bay colt emerged well from his first stakes win, which came after four previous placings at that level.
“He ran good and did everything perfect,” Gargan said. “He broke good and sat the trip three or four wide. He’s better now that he had the throat surgery.”
The next state-bred spot offered at Aqueduct is the one-turn mile $135,000 Haynesfield on March 29, which Gargan said is a possibility.
“The next one is a mile, and I don’t really know if wants to go a mile, but against the right horses, he may want to,” Gargan said. “The good thing about him is he’s a big, strong horse and he eats everything. He’s good.”
Bred by Hunter Valley Farm, National Identity was a $150,000 purchase at the 2023 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Preferred New York-bred Yearling Sale and he banked $74,250 in victory.
