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The 84th running of the Wood Memorial should answer the question about War Pass: Is the last place runner in the Tampa Bay Derby back on track to Churchill Downs?
The son of Cherokee Run breezed four furlongs in a snappy 47 2/5 at Palm Meadows on March 27. It was the fastest of 11 at the distance on the South Florida training track.
That’s encouraging since the 2007 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile champ on March 15 was restless in the gate, broke fourth, failed to get the lead, was bumped on both turns at Tampa Bay Downs, finished seventh and came out of the 1 1/16 miles with cuts on his left leg.
How War Pass runs will dictate whether trainer Nick Zito sends him to Louisville for the 2008 Kentucky Derby. The 1 1/8-mile Wood Memorial at Aqueduct won’t be a gimme since several promising 3-year-olds also have high hopes of using the $750,000 race as a springboard to Louisville.
One thing in his favor – he may be the lone speed horse and should get and uncontested lead if he’s as fit as workouts indicate.
Chief challengers include Court Vision, who won two graded stakes last year – the Remsen at Aqueduct and the Iroquois at Churchill Downs. The son of Gulch came from way off the pace during a terrible trip to finish third in the Fountain of Youth (FOY) at Gulfstream Park on Feb. 24.
The Bill Mott trainee breezed five furlongs in 1:04 at South Florida’s Payson Park on March 25.
The field includes three horses that ran in the Gotham Stakes on March 8: runner-up Texas Wildcatter, who worked four furlongs in 48 4/5 at Belmont Park, home of the 2008 Belmont Stakes, on Sunday; Roman Emperor, fourth; and Giant Moon, ninth and last.
Tale of Ekati hopes to improve on his sixth-place finish behind Pyro, one of the leading 2008 Kentucky Derby entries, in the Louisiana Derby March 8. The son of Tale of the Cat drilled four furlongs from the gate in 47 2/5 at Palm Meadows on March 25.
Twenty horses that ran in the Wood Memorial were victorious in the Kentucky Derby since Gallant Fox took the inaugural en route to the ‘30 Triple Crown. Since ‘75, five winners and two runners-up in Aqueduct’s premier race have scored in Louisville.
The chief contender is undefeated Denis of Cork, who captured his third straight on Feb. 18 winning the Southwest Stakes at Oaklawn Park. The son of Harlan’s Holiday breezed five furlongs in 59 2/5 at Churchill Downs on Sunday.
Among the challengers are Golden Spikes, fifth in the FOY, who zipped 48 4/5 handily for four furlongs on a sloppy Calder Race Course surface Monday.
War Emblem captured this race in ‘02 and followed with a victory at Louisville.
That prompted trainer James Kasparoff to change plans again: from the Arkansas Derby to the Blue Grass Stakes to the Santa Anita Derby. The son of Stormy Jack comes off a third place finish in the San Felipe.
Sham Stakes winner Colonel John, the morning line 2-1 favorite in the 11-horse field, worked six furlongs in 1:13 at Hollywood Park on March 25. Runner-up El Gato Malo, breezed five furlongs four days later in a snappy 59 seconds, the fastest of 53 works.
Yankee Bravo, who captured the California Derby at Golden Gate and later ran third in Louisiana Derby, went six furlongs handily in 1:13 at Santa Anita Park on Sunday.
Others in the field also worked five furlongs at the track: Coast Guard, 58 4/5, and Polonius, 1:00 3/5.
The last Santa Anita Derby winner to triumph at Louisville was Sunday Silence in ‘89. Two runner-ups scored: Real Quiet in ‘98 and Silver Charm in ‘97. A pair of fourth-place finishers surprised: Giacomo paid $120.60 in ‘05 while Charismatic returned $64.60 in ‘99.
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