Benson Memorial Stakes ($150.000 Purse)
FG- For Fillies and Mares Four Years Old and Upward
One Mile and One Sixteenth on the Turf
March 21, 2026
TwinTowersRacing got off to a great start at FG, sweeping the two races that were on my schedule, beginning with Train Station in the Benson Memorial Stakes. This was not a major surprise, as she was our second choice and probably should have been the top one. The victory by the six-year-old mare by Day Of Destiny is the first in the Benson for both the trainer and for jockey J R Velazquez. Congratulations to them! The time of the win was 1:40.01, which puts it right in the middle of the previous winning times. Here’s a look at how it happened:
(1/4 Mile- :23.05)- Our eventual winner from TwinTowersRacing, Train Station, does initially break well out of the gate but would be restrained to a mid-pack position before entering the first turn. That will give the lead to Alicent, who started on the outside for Alydar Stables. She’s not going to be messing around, either, and will lead by a length and a half into the opening turn. Arosha, who is the outside horse of three wide, runs second for Spb Racing, and in between horses, the Winning Link Stables- entry, Sea Of Galilee runs third. On the rail is where we fittingly find Train Station. It’s about another two lengths to our remaining runners, Book Of Spells (Simmer Down Stable) and Power Grab (Maxmillion Farm).
(½ Mile- :46.63)- We work our way down the backstretch with Alicent all by herself with the lead by a length. The same group of three horses is right behind her, Arosha, Sea Of Galilee, and Train Station, but they are all just heads apart now after a half mile. From them, it’s about two lengths to Book Of Spells, who is now fully ahead of Power Grab.
(Top Of Stretch, 2F To Go)- Alicent will lead at the top of the turn, but her three stalkers are set on making their move. Arosha looked like she would be the first one to complete the pass for the lead, as she ran well on the outside, but instead it would be Train Station, who took the track right to her outside and was even at the top of the stretch. Sea Of Galilee was having a hard time keeping up with them. Meanwhile, Book Of Spells was coming on strong from further back, and while she still had more work to do, there was still plenty of time for her to make it happen. The same could not be said for Power Grab.
(Finish- 1:40.01)- It would not long upon reaching the stretch for Train Station to take over the top spot, and it’s noteworthy that she also made easy work of Arosha during this time. With those two beaten, and Sea Of Galilee left behind, things were looking good for Train Station. The big question would be whether or not the closing Book Of Spells would be able to get to her, but her progress would stall out early in the stretch. Perhaps it did not help her cause that Arosha was pretty much drifting out right into her lane, and that was all great to see for those who supported Train Station. She’d win ultimately by a little less than a length, but it seemed a lot more comfortable than that. Book Of Spells is second and shouldn’t see the free track again, let’s hope. It’s another length to Arosha, who was weak in the stretch, and another length to a fatigued Alicent. Sea Of Galilee is next, and Power Grab showed nothing all race.
About The Winner– Train Station, trained by TwinTowersRacing and ridden to victory by J R Velazquez, is a six-year-old mare by Day Of Destiny and is out of the late Caltanissetta. She was bred in Ontario by Pan Farms as a second quarter two-year-old, and was acquired by TwinTowersRacing from Maxmillion Farm in private sales for $10.000 in August 2023. Congratulations to the connections! The win is her sixth in 20 starts, and her third stake win. Her career earnings are now $457.820.
— NS
Categories: STAKES ARTICLES, Ungraded