Wood Memorial Stakes
The Wood Memorial Stakes is an American flat Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds held annually in April at Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, Queens, New York. It is run over a distance of 1 1/8 miles (9 furlongs) on dirt. The Wood Memorial has been run as a Grade II event since 2017.[1] It was a Grade I race from 1974 (when grading was first introduced) to 1994 and again from 2002 to 2016.[2]
| Grade II race | |
| Location | Aqueduct Racetrack Ozone Park, Queens, New York |
|---|---|
| Inaugurated | 1925 |
| Race type | Thoroughbred – Flat racing |
| Race information | |
| Distance | 1+1⁄8 miles (9 furlongs) |
| Surface | Dirt |
| Track | Left-handed |
| Qualification | Three-year-olds |
| Weight | 123 lbs (55.8 kg) |
| Purse | $750,000 |
The Wood Memorial is one of the major prep races on the Road to the Kentucky Derby. Between 1930 and 2000, eleven winners of the Wood Memorial went on to win the Kentucky Derby (Gallant Fox, Twenty Grand, Johnstown, Count Fleet, Hoop Jr., Assault, Foolish Pleasure, Bold Forbes, Seattle Slew, Pleasant Colony and Fusaichi Pegasus). Four of them also won the Triple Crown. The most famous loser in the Wood Memorial was Secretariat, who finished third in 1973.
The winner of the Wood Memorial has not won the Kentucky Derby since 2000, in part because several became injured in the weeks between the two races. For example, Toby's Corner missed the Derby with lameness in his left hind leg (2011), Eskendereya with a soft tissue injury in his left front leg (2010), I Want Revenge with a ligament injury to his right front ankle (2009) and Buddha with separation of the hoof wall from the laminae of his left front leg (2002).
The race was named to honor Eugene D. Wood, a New York State politician and horse racing enthusiast who had been a founder and past president of the old Jamaica Race Course where the race was run until 1960.
From 1925 to 1939, the Wood Memorial was run over a distance of one mile and seventy yards, then at 1+1⁄16 miles from 1940 to 1951, after which it was changed to its present 1+1⁄8 miles. All entrants currently carry a weight of 123 lb.
The race was run in two divisions in 1944, 1945, 1947, 1974, and 1983.
Records
In 2005, Bellamy Road set a new stakes record of 1:47.16 at the 1+1⁄8 mile distance in winning by 17+1⁄2 lengths for his owner, George Steinbrenner.[3]
Most wins by a jockey:
- 9 – Eddie Arcaro (1944, 1945, 1947 (2), 1949, 1950, 1956, 1957, 1958)
Most wins by a trainer:
- 8 – "Sunny Jim" Fitzsimmons (1928, 1930, 1936, 1937, 1938, 1939, 1955, 1957)
Most wins by an owner:
- 4 – Greentree Stable (1927, 1931, 1944, 1963)
- 4 – Wheatley Stable (1928, 1936, 1937, 1957)
- 4 – Belair Stable (1930, 1938, 1939, 1955)
- 4 – Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney (1935, 1945, 1947, 1956)
Winners
| Year |
Winner |
Jockey |
Trainer |
Owner |
Dist. (Miles) |
Time |
Win$ |
Gr. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Lord Miles | Paco Lopez | Saffie A. Joseph Jr. | Vegso Racing Stable | 11⁄8 m | 1:51.17 | $400,000 | G2 |
| 2022 | Mo Donegal | Joel Rosario | Todd A. Pletcher | Donegal Racing | 11⁄8 m | 1:47.96 | $400,000 | G2 |
| 2021 | Bourbonic | Kendrick Carmouche | Todd A. Pletcher | Calumet Farm | 11⁄8 m | 1:54.49 | $400,000 | G2 |
| 2020 | No Race | |||||||
| 2019 | Tacitus | José Ortiz | William I. Mott | Juddmonte Farms Inc. | 11⁄8 m | 1:51.23 | $400,000 | G2 |
| 2018 | Vino Rosso | John R. Velazquez | Todd A. Pletcher | Repole Stable & St. Elias Stable | 11⁄8 m | 1:49.79 | $535,000 | G2 |
| 2017 | Irish War Cry | Rajiv Maragh | H. Graham Motion | Isabelle de Tomaso | 11⁄8 m | 1:50.91 | $400,000 | G2 |
| 2016 | Outwork | John R. Velazquez | Todd A. Pletcher | Repole Stable | 11⁄8 m | 1:52.92 | $590,000 | G1 |
| 2015 | Frosted | Joel Rosario | Kiaran McLaughlin | Godolphin Racing | 11⁄8 m | 1:50.31 | $590,000 | G1 |
| 2014 | Wicked Strong | Rajiv Maragh | James Jerkens | Centennial Farms | 11⁄8 m | 1:49.31 | $590,000 | G1 |
| 2013 | Verrazano | John R. Velazquez | Todd A. Pletcher | Let's Go Stables | 11⁄8 m | 1:50.27 | $600,000 | G1 |
| 2012 | Gemologist | Javier Castellano | Todd A. Pletcher | WinStar Farm | 11⁄8 m | 1:50.96 | $600,000 | G1 |
| 2011 | Toby's Corner | Eddie Castro | H. Graham Motion | Dianne Cotter | 11⁄8 m | 1:49.93 | $600,000 | G1 |
| 2010 | Eskendereya | John R. Velazquez | Todd A. Pletcher | Zayat Stables | 11⁄8 m | 1:49.97 | $450,000 | G1 |
| 2009 | I Want Revenge | Joseph Talamo | Jeff Mullins | David J. Lanzman & IEAH Stables | 11⁄8 m | 1:49.49 | $450,000 | G1 |
| 2008 | Tale of Ekati | Edgar Prado | Barclay Tagg | Charles E. Fipke | 11⁄8 m | 1:52.35 | $450,000 | G1 |
| 2007 | Nobiz Like Shobiz | Cornelio Velásquez | Barclay Tagg | Elizabeth J. Valando | 11⁄8 m | 1:49.46 | $450,000 | G1 |
| 2006 | Bob and John | Garrett Gomez | Bob Baffert | Stonerside Stable | 11⁄8 m | 1:51.54 | $450,000 | G1 |
| 2005 | Bellamy Road | Javier Castellano | Nick Zito | Kinsman Stable | 11⁄8 m | 1:47.16 | $450,000 | G1 |
| 2004 | Tapit | Ramon A. Dominguez | Michael W. Dickinson | Ronald Winchell | 11⁄8 m | 1:49.60 | $450,000 | G1 |
| 2003 | Empire Maker | Jerry Bailey | Robert J. Frankel | Juddmonte Farms | 11⁄8 m | 1:48.60 | $450,000 | G1 |
| 2002 | Buddha | Pat Day | H. James Bond | Gary & Mary West | 11⁄8 m | 1:48.60 | $450,000 | G1 |
| 2001 | Congaree | Victor Espinoza | Bob Baffert | Stonerside Stable | 11⁄8 m | 1:47.80 | $450,000 | G2 |
| 2000 | Fusaichi Pegasus | Kent Desormeaux | Neil D. Drysdale | Fusao Sekiguchi | 11⁄8 m | 1:47.80 | $450,000 | G2 |
| 1999 | Adonis | Jorge Chavez | Nick Zito | Paraneck Stable | 11⁄8 m | 1:47.60 | $360,000 | G2 |
| 1998 | Coronado's Quest | Robbie Davis | Claude R. McGaughey III | Stuart S. Janney III | 11⁄8 m | 1:47.40 | $300,000 | G2 |
| 1997 | Captain Bodgit | Alex Solis | Gary Capuano | Team Valor | 11⁄8 m | 1:48.20 | $300,000 | G2 |
| 1996 | Unbridled's Song | Mike E. Smith | James T. Ryerson | Paraneck Stable | 11⁄8 m | 1:49.80 | $300,000 | G2 |
| 1995 | Talkin Man | Shane Sellers | Roger Attfield | Kinghaven Farms | 11⁄8 m | 1:49.20 | $300,000 | G2 |
| 1994 | Irgun | Gary Stevens | Steven W. Young | Brandon & Marianne Chase | 11⁄8 m | 1:49.00 | $300,000 | G1 |
| 1993 | Storm Tower | Rick Wilson | Benjamin W. Perkins Jr. | Char-Mari Stable | 11⁄8 m | 1:48.40 | $300,000 | G1 |
| 1992 | Devil His Due | Mike E. Smith | H. Allen Jerkens | Lion Crest Stable | 11⁄8 m | 1:49.20 | $300,000 | G1 |
| 1991 | Cahill Road | Craig Perret | Scotty Schulhofer | Frances A. Genter | 11⁄8 m | 1:48.40 | $300,000 | G1 |
| 1990 | Thirty Six Red | Mike E. Smith | Nick Zito | B. Giles Brophy | 11⁄8 m | 1:50.40 | $362,400 | G1 |
| 1989 | Easy Goer | Pat Day | Claude R. McGaughey III | Ogden Phipps | 11⁄8 m | 1:50.60 | $340,800 | G1 |
| 1988 | Private Terms | Chris Antley | Charles Hadry | Locust Hill Farm | 11⁄8 m | 1:47.20 | $359,400 | G1 |
| 1987 | Gulch | José A. Santos | LeRoy Jolley | Peter M. Brant | 11⁄8 m | 1:49.00 | $354,300 | G1 |
| 1986 | Broad Brush | Vincent Bracciale Jr. | Richard W. Small | Robert E. Meyerhoff | 11⁄8 m | 1:50.60 | $178,500 | G1 |
| 1985 | Eternal Prince | Richard Migliore | John J. Lenzini Jr. | Brian J. Hurst | 11⁄8 m | 1:48.80 | $177,900 | G1 |
| 1984 | Leroy S. | Jean Cruguet | Jan Nerud | John A. Nerud | 11⁄8 m | 1:51.40 | $180,000 | G1 |
| 1983-2 | Bounding Basque | Gregg McCarron | Woody Sedlacek | Jacques Wimpfheimer | 11⁄8 m | 1:51.00 | $100,980 | G1 |
| 1983-1 | Slew o' Gold | Eddie Maple | Sidney Watters Jr. | Equusequity Stable | 11⁄8 m | 1:51.40 | $101,700 | G1 |
| 1982 | Air Forbes Won | Ángel Cordero Jr. | Frank LaBoccetta | Edward Anchel | 11⁄8 m | 1:51.00 | $105,120 | G1 |
| 1981 | Pleasant Colony | Jeffrey Fell | John P. Campo | Buckland Farm | 11⁄8 m | 1:49.60 | $98,280 | G1 |
| 1980 | Plugged Nickle | Buck Thornburg | Thomas J. Kelly | John M. Schiff | 11⁄8 m | 1:50.80 | $87,300 | G1 |
| 1979 | Instrument Landing | Ángel Cordero Jr. | David A. Whiteley | Pen-Y-Bryn Farm | 11⁄8 m | 1:49.20 | $85,650 | G1 |
| 1978 | Believe It | Eddie Maple | Woody Stephens | Hickory Tree Stable | 11⁄8 m | 1:49.80 | $65,490 | G1 |
| 1977 | Seattle Slew | Jean Cruguet | William H. Turner Jr. | Karen L. Taylor | 11⁄8 m | 1:49.60 | $66,180 | G2 |
| 1976 | Bold Forbes | Ángel Cordero Jr. | Laz Barrera | E. Rodriguez Tizol | 11⁄8 m | 1:47.40 | $67,560 | G1 |
| 1975 | Foolish Pleasure | Jacinto Vásquez | LeRoy Jolley | John L. Greer | 11⁄8 m | 1:48.80 | $72,840 | G1 |
| 1974-2 | Rube The Great | Miguel A. Rivera | Pancho Martin | Sigmund Sommer | 11⁄8 m | 1:49.60 | $69,660 | G1 |
| 1974-1 | Flip Sal | Ángel Cordero Jr. | Stephen A. DiMauro | Salvatore Tufano | 11⁄8 m | 1:51.40 | $69,360 | G1 |
| 1973 | Angle Light | Jacinto Vásquez | Lucien Laurin | Edwin Whittaker | 11⁄8 m | 1:49.80 | $68,940 | G1 |
| 1972 | Upper Case | Ron Turcotte | Lucien Laurin | Meadow Stable | 11⁄8 m | 1:49.00 | $71,040 | |
| 1971 | Good Behaving | Chuck Baltazar | John P. Campo | Neil Hellman | 11⁄8 m | 1:49.80 | $67,320 | |
| 1970 | Personality | Eddie Belmonte | John W. Jacobs | Ethel D. Jacobs | 11⁄8 m | 1:49.40 | $76,570 | |
| 1969 | Dike | Jorge Velásquez | Lucien Laurin | Claiborne Farm | 11⁄8 m | 1:49.60 | $72,085 | |
| 1968 | Dancer's Image | Bobby Ussery | Lou Cavalaris Jr. | Peter D. Fuller | 11⁄8 m | 1:49.00 | $73,775 | |
| 1967 | Damascus | Bill Shoemaker | Frank Y. Whiteley Jr. | Edith W. Bancroft | 11⁄8 m | 1:49.60 | $73,060 | |
| 1966 | Amberoid | William Boland | Lucien Laurin | Reginald N. Webster | 11⁄8 m | 1:49.60 | $74,425 | |
| 1965 | Flag Raiser | Bobby Ussery | Hirsch Jacobs | Isidor Bieber | 11⁄8 m | 1:50.20 | $60,222 | |
| 1964 | Quadrangle | Bill Hartack | J. Elliott Burch | Rokeby Stable | 11⁄8 m | 1:50.20 | $58,013 | |
| 1963 | No Robbery | John L. Rotz | John M. Gaver Sr. | Greentree Stable | 11⁄8 m | 1:49.20 | $59,020 | |
| 1962 | Admiral's Voyage | Braulio Baeza | Charles R. Parke | Fred W. Hooper | 11⁄8 m | 1:49.20 | $59,703 | |
| 1961 | Globemaster | John L. Rotz | Thomas J. Kelly | Leonard P. Sasso | 11⁄8 m | 1:50.20 | $56,062 | |
| 1960 | Francis S. | Bill Shoemaker | Burley Parke | Harbor View Farm | 11⁄8 m | 1:50.20 | $60,465 | |
| 1959 | Manassa Mauler | Ray Broussard | Pancho Martin | Emil Dolce | 11⁄8 m | 1:49.60 | $55,915 | |
| 1958 | Jewel's Reward | Eddie Arcaro | Ivan H. Parke | Maine Chance Farm | 11⁄8 m | 1:50.20 | $37,575 | |
| 1957 | Bold Ruler | Eddie Arcaro | Jim Fitzsimmons | Wheatley Stable | 11⁄8 m | 1:48.80 | $40,800 | |
| 1956 | Head Man | Eddie Arcaro | Sylvester Veitch | Cornelius V. Whitney | 11⁄8 m | 1:50.20 | $42,400 | |
| 1955 | Nashua | Ted Atkinson | Jim Fitzsimmons | Belair Stud | 11⁄8 m | 1:50.60 | $75,100 | |
| 1954 | Correlation | Bill Shoemaker | Noble Threewitt | Robert S. Lytle | 11⁄8 m | 1:50.00 | $86,000 | |
| 1953 | Native Dancer | Eric Guerin | William C. Winfrey | Alfred G. Vanderbilt II | 11⁄8 m | 1:50.60 | $87,000 | |
| 1952 | Master Fiddle | Dave Gorman | Sol Rutchick | Myhelen Stable | 11⁄8 m | 1:52.40 | $45,200 | |
| 1951 | Repetoire | Pete McLean | Albert Jensen | Nora A. Mikell | 11⁄16 m | 1:44.40 | $35,250 | |
| 1950 | Hill Prince | Eddie Arcaro | Casey Hayes | Christopher Chenery | 11⁄16 m | 1:43.60 | $34,500 | |
| 1949 | Olympia | Eddie Arcaro | Ivan H. Parke | Fred W. Hooper | 11⁄16 m | 1:45.00 | $31,850 | |
| 1948 | My Request | Douglas Dodson | James P. Conway | Florence Whitaker | 11⁄16 m | 1:46.20 | $34,600 | |
| 1947-2 | Phalanx | Eddie Arcaro | Sylvester Veitch | Cornelis V. Whitney | 11⁄16 m | 1:43.80 | $31,325 | |
| 1947-1 | I Will | Eddie Arcaro | Sidney Jacobs | Jaclyn Stable | 11⁄16 m | 1:45.00 | $31,625 | |
| 1946 | Assault | Warren Mehrtens | Max Hirsch | King Ranch | 11⁄16 m | 1:46.60 | $22,600 | |
| 1945-2 | Jeep | Arnold Kirkland | Lydell T. Ruff | Cornelius V. Whitney | 11⁄16 m | 1:45.80 | $18,945 | |
| 1945-1 | Hoop Jr. | Eddie Arcaro | Ivan H. Parke | Fred W. Hooper | 11⁄16 m | 1:45.00 | $18,945 | |
| 1944-2 | Lucky Draw | Johnny Longden | Bert Mulholland | George D. Widener Jr. | 11⁄16 m | 1:46.20 | $20,115 | |
| 1944-1 | Stir Up | Eddie Arcaro | John M. Gaver Sr. | Greentree Stable | 11⁄16 m | 1:44.20 | $19,625 | |
| 1943 | Count Fleet | Johnny Longden | Don Cameron | Fannie Hertz | 11⁄16 m | 1:43.00 | $20,150 | |
| 1942 | Requested | Wayne D. Wright | Blackie McCoole | Florence Whitaker | 11⁄16 m | 1:45.20 | $22,900 | |
| 1941 | Market Wise | Don Meade | George W. Carroll | Louis Tufano | 11⁄16 m | 1:45.60 | $16,650 | |
| 1940 | Dit | Leon Haas | Max Hirsch | W. Arnold Hanger | 11⁄16 m | 1:45.80 | $19,225 | |
| 1939 | Johnstown | James Stout | Jim Fitzsimmons | Belair Stud | 1m, 70 yds | 1:42.00 | $17,675 | |
| 1938 | Fighting Fox | James Stout | Jim Fitzsimmons | Belair Stud | 1m, 70 yds | 1:43.00 | $17,450 | |
| 1937 | Melodist | Johnny Longden | Jim Fitzsimmons | Wheatley Stable | 1m, 70 yds | 1:42.80 | $19,150 | |
| 1936 | Teufel | Eddie Litzenberger | Jim Fitzsimmons | Wheatley Stable | 1m, 70 yds | 1:43.20 | $10,775 | |
| 1935 | Today | Raymond Workman | Thomas J. Healey | Cornelius V. Whitney | 1m, 70 yds | 1:42.80 | $11,350 | |
| 1934 | High Quest | Dominick Bellizzi | Robert A. Smith | Brookmeade Stable | 1m, 70 yds | 1:43.80 | $3,990 | |
| 1933 | Mr. Khayyam | Pete Walls | Matthew Peter Brady | Catawba Farm (Madelaine H. Austin) | 1m, 70 yds | 1:42.60 | $3,760 | |
| 1932 | Universe | Linus McAtee | Joseph Bauer | Thomas M. Cassidy | 1m, 70 yds | 1:43.00 | $10,400 | |
| 1931 | Twenty Grand | Charley Kurtsinger | James G. Rowe Jr. | Greentree Stable | 1m, 70 yds | 1:42.60 | $10,200 | |
| 1930 | Gallant Fox | Earl Sande | Jim Fitzsimmons | Belair Stud | 1m, 70 yds | 1:43.60 | $10,150 | |
| 1929 | Essare | Mack Garner | Joe Johnson | Jacques Stable | 1m, 70 yds | 1:44.00 | $11,000 | |
| 1928 | Distraction | Danny McAuliffe | Sunny Jim Fitzsimmons | Wheatley Stable | 1m, 70 yds | 1:46.00 | $11,300 | |
| 1927 | Saxon | George Ellis | James G. Rowe Sr. | Greentree Stable | 1m, 70 yds | 1:43.60 | $9,005 | |
| 1926 | Pompey | Bennie Breuning | William H. Karrick | William R. Coe | 1m, 70 yds | 1:42.00 | $8,700 | |
| 1925 | Backbone | Ivan H. Parke | James G. Rowe Sr. | Harry Payne Whitney | 1m, 70 yds | 1:43.40 | $7,600 | |
Notes:
- In 1956, Golf Ace won but was disqualified and placed 2nd.
- In 1962, Admiral's Voyage and Sunrise County finished in a dead heat. However, Sunrise County, was disqualified and placed 2nd.
- Leroy S. (1984), Cahill Road (1991), Irgun (1994), Coronado's Quest (1998), Buddha (2002), I Want Revenge (2009), Eskendereya (2010), Toby's Corner (2011), and Lord Miles (2023) are recent horses to win the Wood Memorial Stakes, but not run in the Kentucky Derby.[4][5]
References
- "Blue Grass, Wood Memorial Downgraded". BloodHorse.com. Retrieved 3 December 2016.
- "Wood Memorial Stakes Profile". equibase.com. Retrieved 3 December 2016.
- Mieszerski, Bob (2005-04-10). "Bellamy Road Rules in Wood Memorial". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2010-01-16.
- TVG Trackside Live, April 6th, 2006 edition.
- Vogt, Dustin; Stevens, Mark (4 May 2023). "Trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. suspended from Churchill Downs, Lord Miles scratched from Derby". WAVE. Gray Television. Retrieved 4 May 2023.
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