On Sunday afternoon, June 28, 2026, at about 5:50 p.m. ET, the thundering sound of hooves striking the ground at Aqueduct Racetrack will forever go silent. After 132 years of serving New York racing fans, the ninth race Sunday will be the last one ever contested at the Big A as a transformation of downstate racing begins. Aqueduct joins the likes of the now-forgotten Jamaica Race Course and Brighton Beach as a past home of the sport in the bustling metropolis.
Category: Horse Racing News
All-Time Leaders Reminisce as Final Day Arrives at Aqueduct
On Sunday afternoon, June 28, 2026, at about 5:50 p.m. ET, the thundering sound of hooves striking the ground at Aqueduct Racetrack will forever go silent. After 132 years of serving New York racing fans, the ninth race Sunday will be the last one ever contested at the Big A as a transformation of downstate racing begins. Aqueduct joins the likes of the now-forgotten Jamaica Race Course and Brighton Beach as a past home of the sport in the bustling metropolis.
ABR Sunday Selections: Full-Card Picks for Aqueduct’s Final Race Day
Every Sunday Noel Michaels will provide free full-card picks for a one racecard in North America. A veteran handicapper and tournament-play pioneer, Michaels also writes a weekly “Weekend Winners” blog for America’s Best Racing with a focus on key stakes races at marquee tracks. This feature will be straight-forward: full-card picks for one Sunday slate of races of his choosing.
Saying Goodbye to Aqueduct
Saying goodbye to a building is one thing. Bidding farewell to people is another. When I think about the closure of Aqueduct Racetrack this Sunday, what first comes to mind isn’t the image of that retro-looking grandstand or the intensity of those howling winter winds on the apron. It’s the faces. The people who filled one of America’s great racetracks (certainly one of its grittiest), those who made Aqueduct what it ultimately became.
