The Hudson
$200.00 For Three Year Olds And Upward Foaled in NY
6 1/2 Furlongs – Dirt
Belmont Park – October 24, 2026

New York’s Hudson Valley in the Fall. Breathe deep. The air is crisp and turning cooler, the leaves erupting into colors make you believe in a divine artist and only the truly demonic could resist the urge to go apple picking and carve up a pumpkin. All of this frames the majestic and historical Hudson River and a race honoring it should only be run at this time of year. In a testament to the health of the NY state breeding program a field of nine has come forward to contest the twenty-third running of The Hudson. 

1. And Here They Are (Ire Iron Stables, K. Carmouche) 
He was purchased for $85.00 earlier in the season and has been a steady performer for his new barn with a win in six races and nearly always picking up a check. He was a nose short in his last race which was an allowance race at Finger Lakes. He earned a career high 98 SRF speed figure in that race which was his return to dirt. Looking for his first stakes placing.

2. Dune Road (D J C Racing Stables, S. Elliott)
Flashed promise in the spring with a third place finish in the G2 Wood Memorial. He has impressed since then winning four of five races. He became a stakes winner in his last race when he won the The Ontario Co Stakes for NY-breds. A fourth win in a row seems entirely plausible for this talented three year old.

3. Turning Point (TwinTowersRacing, A. Bexchizza)
Switches back to dirt after two disappointing tries on the grass including a fourteenth place finish in the G3 Mint Million at Kentucky Downs. Connections would like to see a return to the form that saw him challenge in last summer’s G1 The Jerkens Memorial. Needs a major form reversal.

4. Strategic Knight (Big Jd Racing, M.J. Sanchez)
Six year old is looking for his first win of 2026. He has been second or third five times in eight races so there have been flashes of good form but he just has not been able to get his nose in front at the wire. He shows a good third in an optional claimer at Belmont in his last start. Needs to find a little bit more than he has shown of late. 

5. Laffin Romantic (Ajm Stables, F.H. Da Silva)
Picked up for $20.00 out of a claiming race in April the four year old colt went on a tear winning three races in a row for his new barn including his first career stakes win in the Reed Memorial for NY-breds at Finger Lakes in July. Strategic Knight was two lengths back in third that day. He has since put in two solid fourth place finishes in stakes races continuing his good form. 

6. Pretty Boy Floyd (Big Jd Stables, L. Salles)
The second entry from Big Jd Stables. He has hit the wire first twice this season including his last race when he won an optional claiming race at Monmouth Park in late August. He has tried statebred stakes competition twice in 2026 finishing third and fourth in solid efforts. He is a stakes winner early in his three year old year and he is graded stakes placed by virtue of a third place finish in the G3 Davis Stakes also early as a three year old. Solid competitor will need his best. 

7. Hazardous (Mb Stables, D.E. Centeno)
First of two from Mb Stables. Like Pretty Boy Floyd to his inside he showed promise early in his three year old year and has some graded black type having finished second in the G2 Peter Pan. He has been brought along carefully and has barely set a hoof wrong this year finishing in the money in six of seven races with two wins. He has won two of his last three races at Finger Lakes in optional claiming races. Is given a chance to carry that form up a step today.  

8. Perfect Encore (La Canada Racehorses)
Has had an impressive season finishing seven times first or second in nine races. He was a nose away from winning the G2 Amsterdam two races ago. That race was at today’s distance of 6.5 furlongs which bodes well. The La Canada Racehorses homebred has just missed gaining his first stakes win by a nose a couple of times now. In his last race, he was second in the Shared Belief Stakes at Del Mar as well. On the cusp of a breakthrough win. 

9. Valyrian Needle (Mb Stables, M. Franco)
Second entry from Mb Stables draws the outside post and looks for some class relief following a string of races where he was knocking heads with some of the best in graded stakes. Led in the G1 Forego in his last race before fading late to finish fourth. Gets a weaker field today as a half furlong less to carry his speed. Seems a safe bet to be the early leader.

Valyrian Needle would seem to be the obvious pick on the class drop but Laffin Romantic is attractive given his running style and five wins in eight 2026 starts and will be the top pick. Put Valyrian Needle second followed by Dune Road and Perfect Encore.

Categories: STAKES ARTICLES, Ungraded