Balboa, trained by Brittany Russell, returns to Gotham after Remsen third

Balboa returns to Aqueduct for the Grade 3 Gotham Stakes on Feb. 28, trainer Brittany Russell confirmed on Feb. 18, setting up a quick charted follow-up to the Not This Time colt’s third-place finish in the Grade 2 Remsen Stakes last winter. The immediate question for connections and bettors is whether the Remsen third and the colt’s juvenile promise will translate into a breakthrough against three-year-old rivals in the Gotham field at Aqueduct.

As a Not This Time colt, Balboa carried forward the positive signs he showed as a juvenile and in early-season three-year-old work, and his Remsen third remains the clearest piece of graded-stakes form on his resume. That third-place finish in the Grade 2 Remsen Stakes last winter established Balboa as a competitor at the graded level, and Brittany Russell’s decision on Feb. 18 to target the Grade 3 Gotham Stakes on Feb. 28 keeps him on a prominent New York racing stage where those credentials will be tested again.

From an industry and business perspective, a strong run in the Grade 3 Gotham at Aqueduct would enhance Balboa’s resume as a Not This Time colt and sharpen his commercial profile for owners and potential buyers. Russell’s confirmation of the Feb. 28 start signals an intention to build on the Remsen performance rather than stepping back, a choice that prioritizes graded-stakes continuity and the visibility that comes with Aqueduct’s winter-spring prep calendar.

Strategically, Balboa’s placement in the Gotham on Feb. 28 gives Brittany Russell and the colt’s connections a controlled next move after the Remsen third, keeping the colt in the graded-stakes conversation while he continues to develop from his juvenile form. Balboa’s performance at Aqueduct on Feb. 28 will be the clearest indicator yet of whether the promise shown early in his career and his Remsen placing convert into a stakes victory and upward momentum for the sophomore season.