- Major Kentucky Derby prep action is staged at Aqueduct on Saturday
- The Wood Memorial was won by eleven Derby victors between 1930 and 2000
A busy weekend of horse racing action will take place across the United States on Saturday. One of the standout races will come in the form of the Wood Memorial Stakes, which is a key prep for the Kentucky Derby. But, which runner will further their claims for the opening Triple Crown race?
Schedule & How To Watch
- When: Saturday, April 6, 2024 at 4:07 PM ET
- Where: Aqueduct, New York
- How To Watch: TVG
Before Betting On Wood Memorial Stakes
The Wood Memorial Stakes is one the most historically important Kentucky Derby preps, with eleven Derby winners claiming victory in this race before landing the Triple Crown opener between 1930. However, success in recent editions of the race at Churchill Downs have been more challenging to come by, with the Wood Memorial having failed to produce a Derby winner since 2000.
This race will be run over 1 1/8 miles, with the field competing for their share of the $750,000 purse. It looks set to be a challenging race to predict this weekend, but Deterministic looks to be the runner to beat. This contender for Christophe Clement has won on both of his two career starts, and was very impressive on his recent appearance when landing the G3 Gotham Stakes. Sets the standard in this company.
Todd Pletcher also has a leading contender this weekend, with Tuscan Sky looking to maintain his perfect record on track. This three-year-old has won on each of his two career starts, and was very impressive when recording a speed figure of 99 on his previous effort in an allowance optional claimer at Fair Grounds.
EL Grande O is the runner for Linda Rice, and this three-year-old could be primed for a bold effort this weekend. The three-year-old has finished second on two of his three starts this term, and was last seen finishing third in the G3 Gotham Stakes. Likely to be a contender to round off the places again this week.
Wood Memorial Stakes Offshore Odds
| Horse | Odds |
|---|---|
| Deterministic | 3.05 |
| Tuscan Sky | 4.30 |
| Resilience | 10.00 |
| El Grande O | 10.00 |
| Uncle Heavy | 10.00 |
| Merit | 17.00 |
| Elysian Meadows | 17.00 |
| Society Man | 21.00 |
The top two in the betting set the standard for the Wood Memorial this weekend. We will be siding with Deterministic, who has done absolutely nothing wrong in his two appearances on track to this point.
