Wood Memorial and Gazelle are New York’s Stepping Stones

By Emily Shields 

The Saturday race card at Aqueduct is a good one, with five stakes on an 11-race card. The highlights are the Wood Memorial and the Gazelle, Kentucky Derby and Oaks preps.

A field of 11 will go to the post in the Wood Memorial, a $750,000 race worth 100 Kentucky Derby points to the winner. The last Wood Memorial winner to wear the roses was Fusaichi Pegasus in 2000, but some truly standout horses have come from the race, such as leading sires Tapit and Unbridled’s Song.

#1 Tax (9-2) is going to be a popular choice; the son of Arch won the Withers Stakes (G3) here on February 2^ndafter being third in the Remsen Stakes. #2 Tacitus (5-2) is coming off two straight wins, including the Tampa Bay Derby (G2), and will have Jose Ortiz aboard for trainer Bill Mott. The son of Tapit is out of the multiple grade 1 winning mare Close Hatches. #3 Hoffa’s Union, a late Triple Crown nominee, broke his maiden by 15 ½ lengths, and will make his first start for trainer Mark Cassee. The son of Union Rags is the talk of the town but needs to prove his mettle against winners.

#4 Haikal (7-2) won the Gotham Stakes (G3) on March 9, and has won three straight races over this track for jockey Maragh and trainer KIaran McLaughlin. He closes from well behind and needs some pace to run at. #10 Outshine rounds out the logical contenders; the Todd Pletcher-trainee was second in the Tampa Bay Derby and is two for four lifetime.

The Gazelle, a 1 1/8-mile race worth $300,000, drew a field of six. #2 Espresso Shot (9-5) comes in off two straight stakes wins, both over this track. #4 Positive Spirit (5-2) is a grade 2 winner over this track, and has run once since that December 1 race, in the Rachel Alexandra at the Fair Grounds where she finished eighth. #5 Always Shopping (3-1) broke her maiden in the Busanda Stakes here last out, February 3, for trainer Pletcher.

Other stakes events on the card include the grade 1 Carter Handicap over 7 furlongs, the grade 3 Excelsior for older males, and the Bay Shore, a grade 3 sprint for sophomores.