LRL: Howgreatisnate rides the rail to feature upset
Logs first win in 13 months
Frank Vespe
October 25, 2026
Howgreatisnate found a seam along the rail and powered home to win Laurel Park’s Sunday $56,000 allowance feature by 3 3/4 lengths.
It was the six-year-old Speightster gelding’s first win in over a year and first start since July.
“Last race we were counting on him to run better, and right after the race he got sick,” said winning rider Julio Hernandez. “So that’s why he got a little time off.”
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Howgreatisnate had rallied to lead that outing in the stretch before settling for third. Since, he had posted three timed works at trainer Andy Simoff’s Delaware Park base, including a five-furlong bullet Sept. 19 and a half-mile move in 50 seconds that was the 12th fastest of 42 at the distance Oct. 10.
“He came back, and he’s working better than ever,” Hernandez said.
Which, to be honest, is saying something: Howgreatisnate entered today with multiple stakes wins and over $400,000 banked.
Today Howgreatisnate got bumped around from both sides leaving the gate – he broke inwards to bump one rival, then took a bump from his outside – and dropped to last up the backstretch in the seven-furlong contest.
Up front, Dr. Steve and Power Grid were battling for early supremacy, with Dr. Steve narrowly ahead through a quarter-mile in 23.39 seconds and a half in 46.29. Hernandez managed to save ground rounding the turn as Howgreatisnate began to rev up a run.
Reaching the head of the lane, Hernandez had to pause briefly awaiting room, and when he gave Howgreatisnate his cue, he powered through an inviting rail opening to the front, going on to win comfortably. Power Grid held second – Dr. Steve faded to last – while even money favorite Zero Blitz grabbed third.
Running time for seven furlongs on a fast main track was 1:22.91.
Howgreatisnate, the second-longest shot on the board, returned $34.40 to win and topped an exacta that paid $143.60 for a one-dollar wager.
Howgreatisnate won for the seventh time in 23 starts and pushed his career bankroll to more than $445,000. He won the first four starts of his career at two for John Guarnere’s Imaginary Stables, including victories in the First State Dash at Delaware Park and the Future Stars at Parx. At three he annexed the Long Branch at Monmouth Park. But 2025 proved less fruitful, and 2026 had been barren until today.
“I knew he was going to show up today,” said Hernandez. “Today he showed up. That was the horse we were waiting for for a year.”
NOTES Jockey Jeiron Barbosa posted a longshot riding triple Sunday, winning with Parkes ($23.00) for Suzanne Stettinius, first-time starter Miss Checkers ($39.80) for Kenny Cox, and Life Boat ($19.60) for Kevin Joy… Seven of the 10 races had 10 or more runners, and the card averaged 10.1 runners per race…
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