In trying to separate his bevy of 3-year-olds with hopes of getting to the Kentucky Derby, trainer Bob Baffert will send Rodriguez to Aqueduct in New York for Saturday’s Grade 2, $750,000 Wood Memorial, this circuit’s fourth and final Kentucky Derby points-scoring race.
Rodriguez, third in the Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes at Santa Anita on March 1, will likely need a top-three finish in the Wood to qualify for the Kentucky Derby. The Wood awards qualifying points to the top five finishers in the field of 12 on a 100-50-25-15-10 basis. Rodriguez has 21.25 Derby points.
Rodriguez, a son of Authentic, drew the rail and will have Mike Smith in to ride. Smith won the Wood in 1992 on Devil His Due and 1996 aboard Unbridled’s Song.
Baffert chose the Wood over the Grade 1, $1.25 million Blue Grass at Keeneland the same day.
“He’s immature still, mentally, he gets a little worked up,” Baffert said. “It might be quieter over there; Keeneland might get him all stirred up.”
Rodriguez won a one-mile maiden race at Santa Anita in his second career start. He finished second behind Citizen Bull, his stablemate and last year’s 2-year-old champion, in the Grade 3 Robert Lewis before finishing third, beaten 11 1/4 lengths by Journalism, in the Grade 2 San Felipe.
“I think he’s very talented,” Baffert said. “We haven’t seen the best of him, that’s coming later. He’s doing really well, it’s a good spot for him.”
Favoritism in the Wood should fall to Captain Cook, who is 2 for 2 since being purchased by Vinnie Viola out of last November’s dispersal sale following the death of previous owner John Hendrickson. The horse is trained by Rick Dutrow.
Captain Cook won a seven-furlong maiden race and the Grade 3 Withers, a two-turn 1 1/8-mile race, where he drew clear to win by 2 1/4 lengths. While he earned 20 qualifying points for that win, he will likely need a top-three finish in the Wood to qualify for the Kentucky Derby.
Dutrow said after the Withers that he loved having two months between starts and has been extremely happy with how his horse has trained in the interim.
Captain Cook will break from post 2 under Manny Franco in the Wood.
A couple of connections with previous recent longshot success in the Wood entered horses in this year’s running. Trainer Saffie Joseph Jr., won the Wood in 2023 with 59-1 shot Lord Miles. He entered Bear Claw Necklace in this year’s running and looks every bit to be in that price range in the Wood.
Bourbonic upset the 2021 Wood Memorial at 72-1 for Calumet Farm. On Saturday, Calumet will be represented by Passion Rules, who has won all three of his starts though his career began in a $50,000 claiming race. Passion Rules is trained by Brad Cox and will be ridden by Kendrick Carmouche, who rode Bourbonic.
Bill Mott, who won the Wood twice including last year with Resilience, entered Tiger Twenty Four, who won a one-mile maiden race by five lengths at Gulfstream Park on March 15.
Hill Road, third in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile and the Tampa Bay Derby, goes out for Chad Brown, while Grande, a winner of both of his starts at Gulfstream Park, ships up for Todd Pletcher, a seven-time Wood winner.
Also entered in the Wood were Sand Devil, second in the Gotham, Statesman, a winner of two straight at Tampa and My Mitole.
The Wood will go as race 12 on a 13-race card that begins at 12:10 p.m.
In other stakes on Saturday’s card:
*** Quint’s Brew, the General George Stakes winner, drew post 2 in a field of eight entered in the Grade 2, $300,000 Carter Stakes at seven furlongs.
Donegal Momentum was entered in the Carter, but is also being considered for the Grade 1 Maker’s Mark Mile on turf at Keeneland on April 11.
Crazy Mason, a recent allowance winner, and Full Moon Madness, the Tom Fool winner, are also part of the Carter field.
*** Ballerina d’Oro, second in the Grade 2 Demoiselle at Aqueduct last December, drew post 2 and will likely be a heavy favorite in the Grade 3, $200,000 Gazelle, a Kentucky Oaks qualifying race. Liam in the Dust, third in the Demoiselle, is also in this field and will break from post 8.
***: Batten Down, the Ohio Derby winner and most recently fourth in the Mineshaft Stakes, was entered in the $150,000 Excelsior, which this year will be run at 1 1/4 miles.
He’ll face a field that includes 2024 Suburban winner Crupi as well as local runners Masmak, Phileas Fogg, Curbstone, Film Star, and Mama’s Gold.
*** Irish Maxima, impressive winner of the Barbara Fritchie, heads a field of seven entered in the Grade 3, $175,000 Distaff Stakes at seven furlongs.
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