Race day review for Wednesday, February 18, 2026
Closing the 10-race programme was the 2026 renewal of the six-and-a-half-furlong traditional Ash Wednesday Trophy.
Thirteen declarations were received, and a little surprisingly, Supremasi, who never showed with a chance, was installed favourite at odds of 9-5 with two-time champion Raddesh Roman in the irons for former three-time training titlist Anthony Nunes.
On the other hand, the classy Wall Street Trader (USA), bet at 5-2 and was nearly four lengths the best with 2019 champion Christopher Mamdeen executing the riding honours for trainer Rowan R Mathie.
Robert Halledeen, who rode 67-1 shot Billy Whizz in the 10th and final event of the race meeting of four days ago, was on the 6-1 bet Bobbytwobad in the opener to keep his supporters happy.
Always prominent, the five-year-old chestnut horse, a progeny of Soul Warrior, owned and trained by Robert French, scored by just over two lengths at the end of the gallop of five and a half furlongs.
Victory by US-bred four-year-old Miss Marabella (8-5) over the five-furlong straight course of race two was the first of a three-timer for third-generation trainer Peter-John Parsard.
Piloted by the 2022 champion Dane Dawkins, the imported filly was always in control of the pace and had three-and-a-half lengths to spare over even money favourite Bowmore (USA) from the Nunes camp with Roman astride.
The Nunes-Roman collaboration received a turnaround of fortune in the third race when their Canadian-bred Miss Grove (4-1) was justifiably awarded the five-furlong straight event after finishing two lengths in second to 6-1 the Richard Azan-trained Danka (Tajay Suckoo), who got into her path close to home to halt the finishing momentum, which could have given her the lead where it mattered.
The second of Peter-John Parsard’s visits to the winners’ enclosure was actualised in race four with
Bangarang (5-2), ridden by visiting former three-time champion Anthony Thomas, who was required to summon all facets of his immense skill set to win the straight exertion of five furlongs by a head.
Thomas, riding successfully on the Florida circuit at Gulfstream Park, has local engagements on the card of February 21, 2026.
Tajay Suckoo must have shrugged off the disappointment of his earlier disqualification, as he rode 9-1 wagered General Chief, turned out in invincible condition by Spencer Chung, to be over nine lengths the best at the end of the five-and-a-half furlongs of race five.
After the five-straight run of race six, another champion was in the winners’ enclosure. It was now the turn of 2023 champion Reyan Lewis on Patrick Lynch’s maiden four-year-old colt Lauren’s Secret (5-2) for a victory margin of just over one length.
This was followed by yet another former champion, as second-generation reinsman Shane Ellis, a two-time titlist, facilitated the 13-length canter of Midnight Galaxy (1-5) for the Parsard triple to be confirmed at the end of the seven-and-a-half furlongs of the seventh event.
Maiden three-year-old filly Minnehaha (3-5), schooled by Robert Pearson, another second-generation conditioner, was seven lengths clear at the finish of race eight over five furlongs round for the opener of a riding double for Tevin Foster.
In race nine, champion Jason DaCosta saddled the first two to finish. Foster closed his double aboard
Summer Palace (6-5) six lengths ahead of stable companion Starraura (5-2), with Halledeen up as the gallop of five-and-a-half furlongs ended.
The Training Feat Award is presented to Spencer Chung for the performance of General Chief, a seven-year-old grey horse, who was racing for only the 28th occasion across five seasons, is a measure of how difficult it is to keep him in racing condition.
The Best Winning Gallop was executed by Bangarang with speed, stamina, and courage, and the invaluable assistance of Anthony Thomas, who is credited with the Jockeyship Award.