2026 Wood Memorial Entries at Aqueduct

Wood Memorial Offers 100-50-25-15-10 Kentucky Derby Points To Top-Five Finishers

Iron Honor (St. Elias Stable, William H. Lawrence and Glassman Racing) will stretch out in distance while navigating a competitive 13-horse field in the 101st running of the Grade 2, $750,000 Wood Memorial, a nine-furlong test for sophomores, at Aqueduct Racetrack on Saturday, April 4.

The Wood Memorial, which offers a respective 100-50-25-15-10 Kentucky Derby qualifying points to the top-five finishers, is slated as Race 12 on Saturday's 12-race card. First post is 12:40 p.m. Eastern.

The card is bolstered by the Grade 2, $300,000 Carter Stakes for older horses sprinting seven furlongs [Race 6]; the Grade 3, $200,000 Gazelle at nine furlongs for sophomore fillies offering 100-50-25-15-10 Kentucky Oaks qualifying points [Race 11]; the Grade 3, $150,000 Distaff at seven furlongs for older fillies and mares [Race 10]; and the Listed $150,000 Excelsior at 1 1/4 miles for older horses [Race 3].

Horseplayers from around the United States can watch and wager on the Wood Memorial with OffTrackBetting.com online OTB!

Trained by five-time Eclipse Award winner Chad Brown, Iron Honor [post 13, Manny Franco] enters from a one-length score over Crown the Buckeye in the one-turn mile Grade 3 Gotham on February 28 here. With a pace-pressing trip under returning rider Manny Franco, the Nyquist bay improved to 2-for-2, equipped with blinkers in both races, and was awarded 50 Kentucky Derby qualifying points.

"I think this is a very talented 3-year-old," Franco said. "He is 2-for-2 in his career, so I'm just happy to be on his back. I think the distance will be no problem, with the size he has and he has Chad, too. He is a great trainer."

Iron Honor's final time of 1:37.94 over the good footing earned a 90 Beyer Speed Figure, slightly lower than his debut 95 for a local 1 1/2-length score over next-out winners Crossingthechannel and returning rival Right to Party sprinting six furlongs on December 13.

Franco was aboard Iron Honor for a half-mile breeze in 49.31 seconds in company with Ottinho on Saturday over the Belmont Park dirt training track.

"He worked outside of the other horse," said Franco. "He worked really good. The gallop out was really good, too. I've had the chance to work him twice now. I've liked the way he's been going. I like the way he is doing, so hopefully he is best."

A $475,000 purchase at the 2024 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, Iron Honor was bred in Kentucky by Mike Freeny and Pat Freeny and is out of the winning Blame mare Orencia, a half-sister to stakes-placed My Savannah Belle.

Brown, seeking his first Wood Memorial triumph, will also send out Three Chimneys Farm's Kentucky homebred Ottinho [post 11, Dylan Davis, blinkers ON]. The Quality Road bay needs to improve from his last-out 65 Beyer for a distant third to returning rival Talk to Me Jimmy in the nine-furlong Listed Withers on February 6, where he picked up six Kentucky Derby points in defeat.

Ottinho has the pedigree to take a step forward as a half-brother to Hall of Famer Gun Runner and a full-brother to the Brown-trained Grade 3-winner Pretty Ana, out of the Grade 2-winning Giant's Causeway mare Quiet Giant.

"We are hopeful that he's going to mature like his sister and Gun Runner later on," said Doug Cauthen, vice chairman of Three Chimneys Farm. "He continues to improve and strengthen. He is a physical specimen. It just seems like these horses get stronger and better with time. We're hoping for that and a move forward when he runs."

Ottinho graduated at second asking over course and distance on New Year's Eve, his pacesetting trip earning a career-best 82 Beyer. He was previously third over the local one-turn mile in November.

Ottinho adds blinkers for the Wood, which he has breezed with since late February.

"Positive reports on the blinkers," Cauthen said. "The distance is also a positive. We are sort of throwing out his last race and hoping he gets back to what we are all hoping for. I think he's talented. He's obviously beautiful and well-bred, we'll see if he can move forward."

Gold Square's Grade 1-winner Napoleon Solo [post 1, Paco Lopez] looks to rebound from a prominent fifth-place finish in the 1 1/16-mile Grade 2 Fountain of Youth on February 28 at Gulfstream Park. Trained by Chad Summers, the Liam's Map gray was making his seasonal and two-turn debut, his prior effort a pacesetting 6 1/2-length score in the one-turn mile Grade 1 Champagne in October at Belmont at the Big A.

Napoleon Solo has 15 Derby points, with 10 from the Champagne and 5 from the Fountain of Youth. He was awkward at the start of the latter when coming off the about five-month respite.

"He was going to need that race regardless," Summers said. "There were a lot of things going on in that race. Now, we are going to have one more bite at the apple."

Napoleon Solo went 2-for-2 as a juvenile with a debut win in August at Saratoga Race Course in a six-furlong maiden auction, his Champagne registering a career-best 95 Beyer.

"He's obviously going to be the only Grade 1-winner in the field," Summers said. "He's got questions to answer. There are some other horses that will be favored over him, so we'll see what happens."

Napoleon Solo scratched out of Saturday's Grade 1, $1.5 million Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park.

SEI Thoroughbreds and trainer Rudy Rodriguez's New York-bred Talk to Me Jimmy [post 2, Ruben Silvera] won gate-to-wire by 11 lengths in the Listed Withers over course and distance in February. The Modernist bay earned 20 Derby points and conquered open company following two state-bred efforts going the local one-turn mile, including a second-out pacesetting graduation by 5 1/2-lengths over next-out $500,000 NYSSS Great White Way-winner Sunday Boy in November.

"We are at home," Rodriguez said. "He's very good here. We nominated him over here and over there, all over, but he's right at home. We don't need to worry about anyone else, except him. I try to get the horse ready the best I can, and we let the jockey worry about the rest."

Talk to Me Jimmy breezed a half-mile in 50.01 seconds on Sunday over the Belmont Park dirt training track after logging six-furlong breezes the past two weeks. His official record shows five works since his last effort and according to Rodriguez, he also worked on March 8, which wasn't recorded due to foggy conditions.

"We had to put some miles on him," said Rodriguez. "This race is a mile and an eighth. It looks like it is coming up with a lot of speed, so we just have to be ready for anything. He's worked very good, came back good, he's coming up good and the race is coming up solid."

Bred in the Empire State by Majestic View Farms, Intl., Talk to Me Jimmy, a modest $31,000 purchase at the 2024 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, is out of the 10-time winning Trippi mare Prairie Trip.

Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher sends out Whisper Hill Farm, Stonestreet Stables and Windancer Farm's Courting [post 8, Kendrick Carmouche, blinkers OFF] in pursuit of a record-equaling eighth Wood Memorial victory to match fellow Hall of Famer "Sunny" Jim Fitzsimmons' mark.

Pletcher's past scores include Eskendereya [2010], Gemologist [2012], Verrazano [2013], Outwork [2016], Vino Rosso [2018], Bourbonic [2021] and Mo Donegal [2022].

"It's the historic last one at Aqueduct and the race has been kind to us over the years. We'd love to add another one," Pletcher said.

Courting has two Kentucky Derby points from a fourth to Paladin in the nine-furlong Grade 2 Remsen on December 6 here. The Curlin chestnut was bumped at the start to travel 9th-of-11 early, improving to a seven-length fourth with next-out Listed Sam F. Davis and Grade 1 Arkansas Derby-winning stablemate Renegade second.

"I thought he ran a sneaky good race," Pletcher said. "The form from the Remsen has held up pretty well. Considering the start he got off to - to get squeezed back and for him to make a move and show some interest in the end was encouraging."

Courting exited to run a last-out sixth to Paladin at the same distance in the Grade 2 Risen Star on Valentine's Day at Fair Grounds.

"He didn't jump well, and the track was a little on the speed-favoring side that day. He made a bit of a middle move and flattened out," said Pletcher. "We're drawing a line through that one and re-grouping, going back to a track he's had some success on. Hopefully, he makes a move forward."

Courting made his first three outings at the Big A, including a second-out graduation over stablemate Grittiness going a one-turn mile. Along with local experience, Courting, a $5 million purchase at the 2024 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, has promising pedigree as a full-brother to multiple Grade 1-winner Clairiere out of the multiple Grade 1-winning Bernardini mare Cavorting.

Pletcher and Courting's jockey Kendrick Carmouche upset this event with Bourbonic at odds of 72-1 in 2021.

Zedan Racing Stables' Grade 1-placed Buetane [post 12, Martin Garcia] has 16 Derby points, earning six for a third in the 1 1/16-mile Grade 3 Southwest in February at Oaklawn Park and 10 for a last-out fourth in the one-turn nine-furlong Virginia Derby on March 14 at Colonial Downs.

Hall of Famer Bob Baffert looks for a title defense in the Wood Memorial following Rodriguez's win last year, his past scores including Congaree in 2001 and Bob and John in 2006. Buetane graduated in his six-furlong debut in August at Del Mar ahead of seven-furlong seconds in the Grade 1 Spendthrift Farm Hopeful in September at Saratoga and the Grade 2 San Vicente when making his seasonal bow in January at Santa Anita Park.

The Tiz the Law chestnut, a $1.15 million purchase at the 2025 OBS Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training, is a half-brother to stakes-winner Let My People Go out of the winning Forestry mare Taboo. His second dam is Grade 1-winning millionaire Dream of Summer, dam of Grade 1-winners Creative Cause, Vexatious and Grade 2-winner Destin.

Trainer Saffie Joseph, Jr. entered the Grade 3-placed New York-bred Bravaro [post 9, Edwin Gonzalez, blinkers ON] after stunning the 2023 Wood Memorial with Lord Miles victorious as a 59-1 longshot.

Albert Ciuffetelli, Stephanie Brennan, Shining Stables, BAG Racing Stables and Paul Braverman's Bravaro has 20 Derby points, from a last-out fourth in the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth after a second in the Grade 3 Holy Bull in January, both 1 1/16-mile events at Gulfstream. The Upstart bay, bred in New York by Stephanie Brennan (née Baltzan), won the state-bred one-turn mile Sleepy Hollow in October here and adds blinkers for the Wood.

Rounding out the field are Gotham third-place finisher Right to Party [post 3, Chris Elliott] for trainer Ken McPeek; stakes-winners Red Zone Runner [post 10, Mychel Sanchez] for trainer Hugo Padilla and state-bred Minorinconvenience [post 6, Jaime Rodriguez] for conditioner Amelia Green; maiden winners Steel [post 4, Sahin Civaci] for Hall of Famer Bill Mott, Albus [post 7, Jaime Torres], who was scratched from Saturday's Grade 1 Florida Derby at Gulfstream for conditioner Riley Mott; and the maiden Ocelli [post 5, Joseph Ramos, blinkers OFF] for trainer Whit Beckman, looking to become just the second maiden since Teufel in 1936 to win the Wood.

Creole Chrome possible for G2 Wood Memorial

March 21- Trainer Joe Sharp has yet to pin down a next start for Three Diamonds Farm's stakes-winner Creole Chrome, but said Saturday that the Grade 2, $750,000 Wood Memorial on April 4 at Aqueduct Racetrack is a possible target. The nine-furlong route for sophomores offers 100-50-25-15-10 Kentucky Derby qualifying points to the top-five finishers.

The Louisiana-bred son of Volatile has been based at Fair Grounds Race Course throughout this winter, but shipped to Keeneland on Monday. This morning, he worked a solo half-mile in 47.80 seconds, his second workout since winning the Louisiana Stallion of the Year Star Guitar on February 28 at Fair Grounds.

"It was so good," Sharp said of the work. "He went 47 and four by himself, really within himself, and he seemed to do it very effortlessly. Having just shipped up there on Monday, it was good to see him get acclimated as quick as he did and continue to mature like we're hoping he would."

Creole Chrome was entered in the one-mile Grade 3 Gotham here on February 28, but scratched in favor of the one-mile and 70-yard Star Guitar, where he romped by 6 3/4 lengths. The colt has made all four starts against state-breds at Fair Grounds, including an open-lengths debut graduation in November and a head allowance victory in January, both at six furlongs.

Creole Chrome is also nominated to a pair of upcoming stakes at Keeneland in the seven-furlong Listed Lafayette on April 3 and the nine-furlong Grade 1 Blue Grass on April 4.

"We are completely open to all possibilities," Sharp said. "I don't know any more today than I did last week, but the Wood is on the consideration list. I always feel like being home puts you at an advantage, but we'll see what happens."

Out of 2009 Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks-winner Funny Moon, Creole Chrome was bred by Gulf Haven Farms and was purchased for $55,000 at the Texas Thoroughbred Association Yearling Sale. He has banked $139,150 through a 4-3-0-1 record.

Right to Party likely for G2 Wood Memorial

March 21- Chester Broman, Sr.'s Right to Party will look to punch his ticket for the Kentucky Derby in the Grade 2, $750,000 Wood Memorial presented by Resorts World Casino, on April 4 at Aqueduct Racetrack. The nine-furlong route for sophomores offers 100-50-25-15-10 Kentucky Derby qualifying points to the top-five finishers.

Trained by Kenny McPeek and campaigned under the watchful eye of Belmont Park-based assistant Jimmy Jerkens, Right to Party has finished third behind the victorious and likely returning rival Iron Honor in 2-of-3 career starts at the Big A, including on debut in December and last out in the Grade 3 Gotham on February 28.

McPeek said the Wood Memorial is a logical spot for the improving sophomore, who was squeezed at the break of the Gotham and closed from last-of-8 to earn show honors and 15 Kentucky Derby qualifying points.

"I think we're inclined to, and Jimmy has him marked down to go. I did the nom today, but Jimmy and I need to discuss it a little further," McPeek said. "He's a horse that just keeps coming and coming and I think he's going to improve as the year goes along. I think the added distance will suit him, but he might need a bit of a pace setup."

The Kentucky-bred son of Constitution, who was purchased for $325,000 at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale, graduated at second asking here with a last-to-first charge traveling a one-turn mile.

"He's a big, beautiful horse. He's got a big, long stride on him - the more distance the better," said McPeek, who indicated Christopher Elliott would retain the mount.

Right to Party [3-1-0-2, $90,200] is out of the New York-bred Emcee mare Havin' a Party. His second dam is 2002 Grade 3 Tempted winner Chimichurri, who finished second to House Party in the following year's Grade 1 Prioress.

Bravaro probable for G2 Wood Memorial

March 15 - New York-bred stakes-winner Bravaro is likely headed north to Aqueduct Racetrack for the Grade 2, $750,000 Wood Memorial presented by Resorts World Casino on April 4, a nine-furlong test for sophomores that awards the top-five finishers a respective 100-50-25-15-10 qualifying points towards the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby on May 2 at Churchill Downs.

"The plan is that if all stays well and he's healthy, we'll go to the Wood," said Niall Brennan, who works in tandem with his wife Stephanie Brennan née Baltzan, co-owner and breeder of Bravaro. "He's won on the track twice, and we're confident he's a very nice horse. Whether he's a Derby horse, that remains to be seen. Obviously, he would have to show up in the Wood to progress on, but we feel like we've got a really nice New York-bred for the summer. We'll give him a shot and see if he belongs with that group, or we'll plan a different route for the summer."

The son of New York-bred Kentucky stallion Upstart was last seen finishing a troubled-trip fourth in the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth on February 28 at Gulfstream Park, where he finished 11 lengths back of the victorious Commandment. The bay colt was making his second graded attempt after a game second-place effort to Nearly in the Grade 3 Holy Bull in January when making his sophomore bow, picking up 10 Kentucky Derby qualifying points in each race for a total of 20.

Campaigned by Albert Ciuffetelli, Stephanie Brennan, Shining Stables, BAG Racing Stables and Paul Braverman, Bravaro was bred in New York by Stephanie Brennan [Baltzan], who works alongside her husband in the couple's racing and breeding operation. The Brennans operate their well-regarded training center in Ocala, F.L., while they keep about six broodmares at Ascendant Farm outside Saratoga Springs, N.Y. to foal each spring.

"We've always had our mares in New York. We like to have New York-breds and it makes sense for us," Brennan said. "We aren't big breeders - we are more into training and the farm here [in Florida], but being New York-bred gives us more value if we are selling and if we end up racing them, the purses and awards are huge, so that's why we have them. The reality is that people want to race where the purses are healthy, and having the New York-bred stakes program is a big help. Outside of Kentucky, it's tough to be anywhere else."

Trained by Saffie Joseph, Jr., the lightly-raced Bravaro had trouble in the Fountain of Youth when he was bumped at the start and tracked in eighth-of-9 along the inside before making a mild bid to improve to fourth.

"He came of the race very good. Unfortunately, he did not get the trip that was planned, and I'm not sure how much difference it would have made, but he was supposed to be up close and he got shuffled back," Brennan said. "He was stuck on the rail with a lot of dirt [kickback], and he didn't get the chance to run his best race."

As a juvenile, Bravaro went a perfect 2-for-2 against fellow state-breds at the Big A, graduating by one length in his six-furlong debut in September en route to a 2 1/2-length annexing of the state-bred Sleepy Hollow when stretched out to a one-turn mile in October.

"Physically, he's always been a nice horse. He's a fabulous-looking horse, is about 16.1 [hands], and he's a tall and powerful colt," Brennan said. "He was a very nice yearling, and a very nice 2-year-old. This time last year, we had him entered in the sale, but he dug a huge hole to China in his stall at the sales grounds and gave himself a foot bruise, so he ended up scratching from the sale.

"Things happen for a reason, and a guy who works for me was friends with Albert Ciuffetelli in New York, and they were looking for a racehorse," Brennan continued. "We stayed in, and Al and his son are very excited and their whole family is involved. That's what the whole game is about - introducing people like this to the passion of it. We're excited to be partners, and Saffie is still very high on him. We know he'll have a good career."

Bravaro is out of the unraced Tamarkuz mare Opera Star, a half-sister to dual stakes-winners Dene Court and Jacally and Grade 3-placed Theregoesjojo, all three of which were Ontario-breds who found their best stride over the turf and Tapeta at Woodbine Racetrack.

Brennan added a future on turf could be a possibility for Bravaro.

Red Zone Runner targeting G2 Wood Memorial

March 15 - Tom Coulter's Red Zone Runner dominated the City of Brotherly Love by 15 1/2 lengths on March 3 at Parx Racing and is pointed to the Grade 2, $750,000 Wood Memorial, slated for April 4 at Aqueduct Racetrack. The nine-furlong route for sophomores offers 100-50-25-15-10 Kentucky Derby qualifying points, respectively, to the top-five finishers.

"We nominated him. That's the plan, this is where we are aiming," trainer Hugo Padilla said. "So far, that's the plan because the horse came out of his last race absolutely outstanding. He's doing very well, he's very happy. We couldn't have asked for any better."

The Practical Joke dark bay set the pace in the 1 1/16-mile City of Brotherly Love, piloted by Mychel Sanchez through splits of 23.68 seconds, 47.91, 1:13.28, 1:39.73 and stopping the clock in 1:46.67 over the sloppy and sealed track. Red Zone Runner was making his first start for Padilla following four outings for trainer Erin McClellan including stakes thirds in the Pennsylvania-bred Pennsylvania Nursery in November at Parx and the open-company Heft in December at Laurel Park.

"I felt like he'd run a big race because he was training absolutely beautifully," Padilla said. "The whole time I've had this horse, I've seen him growing, getting better and better. I was trying to run him earlier than his last race going longer, to get the lungs and the stamina to stretch him out, but I could not get races to go anywhere. We just took a shot at the stakes. We hoped for the best and he showed us he could handle the distance. He did it easily. He was impressive."

Red Zone Runner was making his first start beyond seven furlongs and showed pacesetting tactics for the first time.

"The conversation with Mychel was that he might show speed, but he doesn't need the lead. If he goes and you feel comfortable on the lead, you go, but if somebody needs the lead, don't force him," Padilla said. "This horse doesn't really need the lead. He can come from off the pace. He got the easy lead, the fractions were solid, he could handle that pace."

In 2024, Padilla won the City of Brotherly Love with Lonesome Boy, who exited to run a solid 4th-of-12 in the Wood Memorial.

"That horse, I loved him. He was all heart. He gave us excitement, and this horse reminds me of him a bit, but I feel like he could be even better," Padilla said. "The way he [Red Zone Runner] ran and the way he came out of his last race, he came back like he never did anything. He was so happy. He's been bright and training very well."

Red Zone Runner, bred in Pennsylvania by Coulter's Arrowwood Farm, is out of the stakes-winning Petionville mare Look Deep.

Taj Mahal pointed to G2 Wood Memorial

March 15 - Tom Ryan of co-owner SF Racing confirmed Sunday morning that the undefeated colt Taj Mahal will make his next start in the Grade 2, $750,000 Wood Memorial on April 4 at Aqueduct Racetrack. The nine-furlong test for sophomores awards 100-50-25-15-10 qualifying points towards the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby on May 2 at Churchill Downs.

"The notion is he'll take his shot in the Wood Memorial," Ryan said. "He's done nothing wrong so far, and he's ran himself up the ladder while improving his numbers. He's got some nice time in between after his first two starts were close together. I personally believe the distance is not going to be an issue for him, the question is just if he has the ability to compete with the field that will line up."

Trained by Brittany Russell, the son of Nyquist made a winning debut sprinting six furlongs on February 6 at Laurel Park where he broke slow and tracked in last-of-6 under Sheldon Russell. He pounced with a four-wide bid and took the lead in upper stretch, powering home strongly to post the 4 1/4-length score in a final time of 1:12.42 and earning a 73 Beyer Speed Figure for the effort.

Just 15 days later, Taj Mahal wheeled back for the one-turn mile Miracle Wood at the Maryland oval, where he switched up his tactics and took a 2 1/2-length lead early after a clean break under Russell. He was met with an outside challenge from Let's Go Lando in the turn, and the two slugged it out down the lane with Taj Mahal prevailing by a neck in a final time of 1:39.47 over the muddy and sealed footing. He improved his Beyer to an 86 in victory.

"That stake came back up two weeks off his first run, but we felt in his first run he did it all well within himself," Ryan said. "Brittany said he gave all the indications he had come out of it the right way and was enjoying himself. He lined right back up there, changed tactics, and went coast-to-coast. It was lovely to see some versatility, and it feels like he's got a good mind. He was in California for a while before we brought him East and it's all worked out the way it was supposed to. He seems to act better on the East Coast surfaces than on the West."

Taj Mahal returned to the work tab on Sunday, covering a half-mile in 50.80 seconds over the Laurel Park dirt.

"The Wood is the natural spot to look at, and hopefully everything goes well over the next couple weeks, and we'll land there," Ryan said.

Taj Mahal was a $525,000 purchase by agent Donato Lanni at the 2024 Keeneland September Yearling Sale for owners SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Stonestreet Stables, Bashor Racing, Determined Stables. Golconda Stable, Waves Edge Capital and Catherine Donovan. He is out of the stakes-placed Quality Road mare Oola Gal, and his fourth dam is dual Grade 1-winner and successful broodmare Strategic Maneuver.

Ryan said the consistent success of Nyquist as a sire helped place Taj Mahal on the ownership's shortlist of yearlings at Keeneland. Top progeny sired by Nyquist currently in training include Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile-winner Nysos for Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert, and multiple graded stakes-winner Knightsbridge for Hall of Famer Bill Mott.

"We put our minds to Nyquist and we're feeling like he's acquitted himself well for us," Ryan said. "We've got Litmus Test going to the Arkansas Derby, and we've got another colt named Kristofferson who we like a lot. The stallion is an elite sire, throwing horses like Nysos and Knightsbridge. It's remarkable what he's able to put on the ground, and his quality almost seems to be getting better if that's even possible. We became a fan of Nyquist based off Bob's experience with Nysos, and this is a colt Bob liked himself."

Civil Liberty Points to G2 Wood Memorial

March 12 - Grade 1-placed four-start maiden Civil Liberty will look to graduate in style in the Grade 2, $750,000 Wood Memorial presented by Resorts World Casino, slated for April 4, at Aqueduct Racetrack. The nine-furlong route for sophomores offers 100-50-25-15-10 Kentucky Derby qualifying points, respectively, to the top-five finishers.

Trained by Doug O'Neill for Great Friends Stables and Mark Davis, Civil Liberty will stretch out in distance from a recent neck second sprinting 6 1/2-furlongs on March 7 at Santa Anita Park. His sire, Independence Hall [14-5-2-1, $881,500], won the 2019 Grade 3 Nashua and Listed Jerome in 2020 at the Big A.

"That's definitely our goal," O'Neill said regarding the Wood Memorial. "He acts like the distance won't be a problem for him at all. It wasn't a problem for his pops - his dad could run the distance. We're excited about him."

An early list of probables under consideration for the Wood Memorial includes Bravaro [Saffie Joseph, Jr.], Civil Liberty [Doug O'Neill], Express Kid [Justin Evans], Iron Honor [Chad Brown], Napoleon Solo [Chad Summers], Ottinho [Chad Brown], Red Zone Runner [Hugo Padilla], and Talk to Me Jimmy [Rudy Rodriguez]. Nominations for the 101st running of the Wood Memorial close on Saturday, March 21 with entries to be taken on Sunday, March 29.

Civil Liberty was defeated by the well-regarded Brant in his first two career starts, landing second on debut sprinting 5 1/2-furlongs in July at Del Mar while 3 1/2-lengths clear of third-place Balboa with Intrepido - eventual winner of the Grade 1 American Pharoah - in fourth.

He exited that effort to finish a 4 1/4-length third in the Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity in September, nosing out eventual Grade 2 Los Alamitos Futurity-winner Litmus Test for show honors.

Civil Liberty completed his juvenile campaign with a 6 1/2-length fourth in the aforementioned American Pharoah going 1 1/16-miles at Santa Anita where he picked up two Kentucky Derby qualifying points.

He returned to action on March 7 at Santa Anita in a strong 6 1/2-furlong maiden sprint where he disputed the early pace of Decisive Win and missed by a neck when second to Crude Velocity, a $250,000 sales purchase trained by Hall of Famer Bob Baffert. The field of nine included several expensive sales purchases and seven Triple Crown-nominated horses.

"It was a great effort," O'Neill said. "It was a strong field of maidens, and he ran a winning race. I'm very proud of him. He came out of it in great shape."

The Independence Hall dark bay brought $160,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale where he worked in 10.3 seconds.

O'Neill said there was lots to like about Civil Liberty at the sale.

"He was athletic. An average-sized colt with a real long reach," O'Neill said. "He's by Independence Hall and just looked like a real athlete. It's an inexact science as we know at these sales, but he looked the part and thank God he's turned out to be the part.

"He's been pretty brilliant," O'Neill added. "From the time we've gone a half-mile or farther, we've seen a lot of upside with him. We're pretty excited about him."

Civil Liberty is out of the Tiznow mare Love and Respect, a half-sister to dual graded stakes-winner Miss Behaviour. He has banked $84,000 via a 4-0-2-1 ledger.

Express Kid possible for G2 Wood Memorial

March 8 - Express Kid (Paradise Equine Farm and Bradley and Sharon Kleven) may look to punch his ticket to the Kentucky Derby in the Grade 2, $750,000 Wood Memorial presented by Resorts World Casino on April 4, at Aqueduct Racetrack.

"That's one of our best options. We've been targeting that," trainer Justin Evans said. "I need to speak to the owners as they've also been talking about the Louisiana Derby, but I'd really like to bring him over there - that's a race I've always respected and as a kid growing up in the game, the Wood Memorial is huge. I think the race might fit us really well."

Express Kid made his first five career starts for owner Steve Haahr and trainer Wade Rarick, winning three times topped by a frontrunning score in the Listed Springboard Mile on December 20 around two turns at Remington Park where he bested multiple stakes-winning New York-bred Arctic Beast by 6 1/4-lengths.

Express Kid's Springboard Mile score was flattered when Arctic Beast returned to win the state-bred Damon Runyon here and third-place Royalamerican exited to post an allowance win ahead of a start in the Welder on Tuesday at Will Rogers Downs.

The Bodexpress colt was purchased for $800,000 from the Fasig-Tipton Digital Sale by Brad Kleven and transferred to Evans. The California-bred Express Kid, a $12,000 RNA at the Fasig-Tipton California Fall Yearling Sale, was bought for $2,000 at the Arizona Thoroughbred Breeders' Association Fall Mixed Sale.

"He's a great-looking horse. He's very athletic looking," Evans said. "The connections that had him before did a fantastic job with him race-wise and the horse came to me in great flesh and looked amazing. He's a push-button horse and everything you go to do with him, he does really well and seems like he wants more."

Express Kid went to post as the even-money favorite in the Listed Sunland Derby on February 15 at Sunland Park and showed the way from the inside post in a field of six through splits of 23.07 seconds, 46.40 and 1:10.07 under pressure from Pavlovian. Express Kid and Pavlovian battled gamely the length of the lane with the latter putting a nose in front at the wire to stop the clock in a final time of 1:42.22 for 1 1/16-miles.

Evans said he was pleased by the performance from Express Kid, who earned a career-best 87 Beyer Speed Figure in the runner-up effort - a two-point improvement on the figure earned for his Springboard Mile score - despite missing training leading into the race.

"That was a heartbreaker the other day in the Sunland Derby," Evans said. "We were a little up against it as we had weather we never get out here - a snowstorm which you very rarely get in El Paso, but it hammered us and we were on the shelf and missed training for eight or nine days. That really hurt us and caused us to miss a work plus the day-to-day training we missed. To go through that and lose the Sunland Derby by a nose was heartbreaking."

Express Kid earned 10 Kentucky Derby qualifying points in the Sunland Derby, matching the points he earned for winning the Springboard Mile. He currently sits 18th on the leaderboard with 20 points.

Express Kid worked back five-eighths in 1:00.34 on February 28 at Sunland Park.

"The horse bounced out of it really good and had a good work the other day," Evans said. "I plan on breezing him back on Tuesday and then talk to the owners to pin down our gameplan, but the Wood is one of our first choices."

Express Kid has worn blinkers in each of his six outings, including a debut win sprinting 4 1/2-furlongs in July at Canterbury Park, a runner-up effort in the Prairie Meadows Freshman in August and a turf allowance score in November at Remington Park where he stalked and pounced to a head score.

Evans noted that Express Kid worked without blinkers in his most recent breeze.

"We've talked about maybe taking the blinkers off," Evans said. "It's something we're looking at now that he's grown and matured a little bit. It might be time to take them off and see if it will open him up a little bit."

Express Kid is out of the winning Street Sense mare Sensationalize. His second dam is the Grade 2-placed multiple stakes-winner Stormy West, while his third dam is the multiple stakes-winner Storm Beauty.

Evans noted that Express Kid may be joined on the potential trip to the Empire State with the Klevens' New York-bred sophomore colt Black Volt, who ran a half-length second last out in the state-bred Bertram F. Bongard on September 20 here.

"I'd like to find a conditioned race for his comeback," Evans said. "He ran second as a 2-year-old in the New York-bred stake out there. He's just about ready to run."

Also possible for the trek is Leslie Amestoy, Pierre Jean Amestoy, Jr. and Roger Beasley's Stonehenge, who posted back-to-back allowance scores at Sunland last month.

"He's ran some huge times over here; he broke his non-two and non-three his last two races and he's just been crushing these horses out here and putting up some big numbers," Evans said of the 4-year-old Gormley colt.

Gotham Winner Iron Honor Eyeing Wood Memorial

March 1 - Iron Honor (St. Elias Stable, William H. Lawrence and Glassman Racing) improved to an unbeaten 2-for-2 when capturing Saturday's Grade 3, $300,000 Gotham, a one-turn mile for sophomores, at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Trained by five-time Eclipse Award winner Chad Brown, the Nyquist bay secured the maximum allotment of the 50-25-15-10-5 Grade 1 Kentucky Derby qualifying points on offer to the top-five finishers. With Manny Franco aboard, Iron Honor marked the opening quarter-mile in 23.09 seconds over the good and harrowed footing, before the dueling Ohio-bred Crown the Buckeye took narrow command and led through three-quarters in 1:11.45.

Crown the Buckeye dug in during the stretch run, but Iron Honor inched clear in the final furlong to win by one length in a final time of 1:37.94, earning a 90 Beyer Speed Figure in victory. Iron Honor entered from a local debut graduation sprinting six furlongs on December 13, which awarded him with a Gotham-best 95 Beyer.

"He came out of the race great. He ate up and looks good this morning," said Michele Dollase, assistant to Brown. "We're on to the next race. As of right now, he is good. He came out of the race really good."

Brown said post-race he will keep the colt at Belmont Park to prepare for a stretch-out in the nine-furlong Grade 2, $750,000 Wood Memorial on April 4, a 100-50-25-15-10 Kentucky Derby qualifier, at Aqueduct.

"He came out of the race great. I think he does want to go farther. He only just got here on Wednesday from Florida," Dollase said. "He really only trained one day here, but still went and did his thing Saturday, which was really impressive."

Brown equipped Iron Honor with blinkers for his maiden win at Aqueduct and said the colt was a little body sore following that race when he arrived at his Payson Park Training Center base.

"This horse missed a little training when he shipped down to Florida. If you look there was a gap of about a month for the works. He didn't ship in completely healthy and then he came back good," said Brown. "I appreciate the owners for being patient. My team did a great job."

Brown has multiple horses with Kentucky Derby points to their name already, including Paladin, who tops the overall standings with 60 points, as well Iron Honor [50 points], Ottinho [6 points] and Schoolyardsuperman [4 points]. The conditioner seeks his first win in that event, his best results including seconds with Sierra Leone in 2024 and Good Magic in 2018, as well as a third with Zandon in 2022.

"We have some very promising horses, and anyone would love to be in this position but there's so much racing to go and so much time in-between with horses still growing and changing. We'll hope for the best and try to get as many there as we can," said Brown.

On Saturday over the Belmont Park dirt training track, the aforementioned Ottinho and Schoolyardsuperman worked a half-mile together in 49.90 seconds. Ottinho, a Kentucky homebred for Three Chimneys Farm, was third last out in the nine-furlong Listed Withers on February 6 here, followed by Schoolyardsuperman in fourth for Hit The Bid Racing Stable and CMNWLTH. Ottinho is previously reported to be under consideration for the Wood Memorial.

Also on the Gotham card, Klaravich Stables' Current Yield picked up 7.5 points towards the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks for a pacesetting fourth in the Listed $200,000 Busher, a one-turn mile for sophomore fillies. The Nyquist bay weakened after setting an opening half-mile in 46.75 seconds while pressured by Interstatelovesong, who finished third in the event won by Paradise.

"She came back fine. She's good. She ate up," Dollase updated Sunday morning.

Talk to Me Jimmy to be nominated to G2 Wood Memorial?

Feb 7 - SEI Thoroughbreds and trainer Rudy Rodriguez's Talk to Me Jimmy announced his presence in the sophomore dirt division and stepped onto the Kentucky Derby trail with an emphatic 11-length romp in Friday's Listed $200,000 Withers, a nine-furlong test for sophomores at Aqueduct Racetrack. The winning effort saw Talk to Me Jimmy secure the maximum allotment of the 20-10-6-4-2 qualifying points on offer towards the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby.

Ridden to victory by Ruben Silvera, the New York-bred son of Modernist became the first stakes-winner for his sire after dueling for early command with the favored Schoolyardsuperman, marking splits of 23.96 seconds, 48.18 and 1:12.47 over the fast footing. He kicked clear of Schoolyardsuperman entering the turn and brought his advantage to 6 1/2 lengths at the stretch call, furthering it in the lane to bound through the wire a much-the-best winner in a final time of 1:51.68. The effort garnered a career-best 83 Beyer Speed Figure.

The win came on the back of a 5 1/2-length maiden score going one-mile against fellow state-breds in November here when adding blinkers following a third on debut in September.

Rodriguez said he always believed that Talk to Me Jimmy would relish additional ground.

"He looked like he wanted to go the distance," Rodriguez said. "He's got a nice cruise control, and even in his gallops, he's nice and steady. We were lucky that we got to breeze him out of the gate for the race, and we put another good half-mile into him after that.

"We were thinking to put the blinkers on right from the get-go, but the first time, I just said to leave it alone," Rodriguez added. "Thank God, we did add them, because it looks like he gets himself together with them. Ruben breezed him the other day and said he gets a little lazy without them."

Rodriguez noted after the race that Talk to Me Jimmy grabbed a quarter on his front right at some point in the race, and said on Saturday morning that the colt was in good order.

"Thank God, everything looks good," Rodriguez said. "I'm not too sure where in the race he grabbed himself, maybe a little past the half-mile pole. The little cut on his foot isn't too bad, but we'll just make sure with the vet. He's comfortable this morning and we're very happy with the way he ran."

Rodriguez noted there are several options for Talk to Me Jimmy going forward this winter and spring. He expects to nominate the colt to at least four upcoming stakes, including local options in the one-turn mile Grade 3, $300,000 Gotham [a 50-25-15-10-5 Kentucky Derby qualifier] on February 28 and the nine-furlong Grade 2, $750,000 Wood Memorial presented by Resorts World Casino [a 100-50-25-15-10 qualifier] on April 4. At Laurel Park, Talk to Me Jimmy is likely to be nominated to the one-mile Miracle Wood on February 21 and the 1 1/16-mile Private Terms on March 21.

"Let's see what the owners want to do," Rodriguez said, noting the Wood Memorial is a logical spot. "They said to nominate him for the Gotham and the couple of races at Laurel, too."

Bred in the Empire State by Majestic View Farms Intl., Talk to Me Jimmy is out of the 10-time winning Trippi mare Prairie Trip, whose half-sister Russian River produced turf Grade 2-winner Marckie's Water. Talk to Me Jimmy was purchased by Rodriguez for $31,000 at the 2024 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.

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