Blackmail became Not This Time’s 10th stakes winner of 2026 Saturday at Aqueduct with his neck victory over Instability (IRE) in the $150,000 Woodhaven S.
The dark bay 3-year-old was making his stakes debut in the one-mile turf event, which ran with five horses. Longshoreman was keen to get the lead, leaving Blackmail to settle into a clear second. Entering the backstretch, Blackmail had to check off the leader, shuffling back to fourth.
Down the backstretch and around the final turn, Blackmail settled nicely and bided his time as Longshoreman put up a slow six furlongs of 1:16.51. After turning for home, Blackmail found an opening along the fence and quickly engaged the leader. He hit the front in the final furlong and then held off the runner-up to stop the timer in 1:40.21 over a firm turf.
“I loved the trip,” jockey Javier Castellano said afterwards. “That was key to win the race–being inside at the rail. Be patient. I knew there was not much speed, but I knew the key was to cover up, be behind horses, let it develop, save all the ground, and when I made my move at the quarter-pole, I cut the corner. I went inside. I think that made the difference to win the race.”
Blackmail is now 2-1-0 in six stars and has earned $114,425 for owner Gary Barber.
“We were pretty excited to lead him over today,” added Shane Tripp, trainer Mark Casse’s assistant. “[Blackmail has] been training great. The guys who get on him in the morning were really excited to run him. I’m glad Mark and Gary decided to put him in this spot.”
Blackmail was bred in Kentucky by the Don Alberto Corporation and is out of Waving, who is a half-sister to Horse of the Year Bricks and Mortar.
