Deep field for the Wood Memorial!

It isn’t the strongest Kentucky Derby prep race but Saturday’s Wood Memorial is deep and does feature some intriguing runners.

Here is the field for the race which features a 100-50-25-15-10-scoring system. Here is the field, in post-position order.

Wood Memorial

(Aqueduct, 12th race, 3:10 p.m.)

  1. Rodriguez (Bob Baffert, Mike Smith) in four starts has a third, two places, and one win. He was third in the San Felipe at Santa Anita, pressing the pace, then weakening late. Now he ships across the country looking for a softer spot. All indications say the horse will setting/pushing the pace – the key will be if he can relax here.
  2. Captain Cook (Richard Dutrow, Manny Franco) has won two straight at Aqueduct, including the latest start – the Withers back on February 1. That day he sat right off the pace, took the lead at the top of the lane and rolled home with the win by over two-lengths. He’s been off since then for a barn that wins at 12 percent coming off that length break. There has been one good work and three average ones for the return.
  3. Tiger Twenty Four (William Mott, Javier Castellano) finally broke maiden in his third and last start, drawing off to win by five lengths on March 19. There has been a bullet work for the return. This is a big step up.
  4. My Mitole (Carlos Martin, Luis Rivera) was fourth in the Gotham on March 1. Only two of the top four return for this one. The are not a lot of strong feelings here.
  5. Sand Devil (Linda Rice, Jose Lezcano) opened with three consecutive wins, then was second in the Gotham. With Gotham winner heading across the world to race in the UAE Derby, Sand Devil could be the de facto favorite here – a position he was in for the Gotham. This guy will be on the lead and pushing it.
  6. Hill Road (Chad Brown, Joel Rosario) was a disappointing third in the Tampa Bay Derby, his first start in over four months. It was also his first start for the barn of Chad Brown, so there is more to expect here. Likes to come from way back and he will get a pace to run it.
  7. Grande (Todd Pletcher, Dylan Davis) is lightly raced with only two starts. While he short on experience, he does have two wins in the two starts – a straight maiden win, followed by an optional claimer. He’s been off since February 27, but the speedster gets props for the savvy barn.
  8. Passion Rules (Brad Cox, Kendrick Carmouche) has three starts and three wins, but this will be the first start against stakes company. The last two wins have come with strong closes and as mentioned above there is every reason to expect a strong pace. Will be flying late.
  9. Bear Claw Necklace (Saffie Joseph, Romero Maragh) has run well in his three starts, but this is a whole new level. He will be driving the pace, keeping it a set up for closers
  10. McAfee (Richard Dutrow, Eric Cancel) was fifth, beaten by nine lengths in the Gotham. Not a lot more to say.
  11. Statesman (Claude McGaughey, Samuel Marin) has won his last two starts, but those were a straight maiden and a $75,000 optional claimer. He has two wins in five career starts and in all five he ran in the middle of the pack. It’s been either feast or famine on the close.
  12. Omaha Omaha (Michael Gorham, Raul Mena) was second in the Jerome and third in the Withers – both preps for this. Another closer that will have a solid pace to run at here.