03/11/2013 12:15PM

Verrazano pointed to Wood Memorial for final Kentucky Derby prep

By Jay Privman
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John Duca/Tom Cooley
Verrazano, here winning the Tampa Bay Derby, is '90 percent certain' to run next in the Wood Memorial at Aqueduct, trainer Todd Pletcher said.

Verrazano, who ran his unbeaten record to three in the Tampa Bay Derby and remains the favorite for the May 4 Kentucky Derby, is being pointed to the Wood Memorial on April 6 at Aqueduct for his final Derby prep, trainer Todd Pletcher said Monday morning.

[ROAD TO THE KENTUCKY DERBY: Prep races, point standings, replays]

Pletcher, speaking from the 2-year-old in training sale in Ocala, Fla., said it is "90 percent certain" Verrazano would run in the Wood. His other options are the Florida Derby at Gulfstream on March 30, and the Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn on April 13, but he described the chances of running in either of those races as "5 percent each."


"The Wood is the logical choice," Pletcher said.

Pletcher also said that Overanalyze, who was fifth in the Gotham in his 3-year-old debut, is under serious consideration for the Sunland Derby on March 24 instead of the Wood. If Overanalyze runs at Sunland, he would be able to retain regular rider John Velazquez, who rides Verrazano.

Also, Capo Bastone, whom Pletcher had been targeting for the Rebel this Saturday at Oaklawn, will wait another week and instead run in the Spiral Stakes at Turfway Park on March 23.

Allan Gauthier 6 months ago
Would Verrazano and Shanghai have to run as an entry...same owners and trainer?? ..
Mark Scheider 6 months ago
Verrazano is not here to run a huge one. He's here to take a strong jogging.
Mark Scheider 6 months ago
Keep a close eye on Elnaawi in this race.
Mark 6 months ago
Agree. Looking for him and chad horse to run underneath
Dave 6 months ago
Since he has the points to make the Derby now, expect Pletcher to go easier on him heading to the Wood, which shapes up as a softer spot than facing Orb and IMLD in the Fla. Derby. Pletcher's goal is winning the KY Derby, not the Wood Memorial. Vyjack has the points too. Normandy Invasion will be loaded for bear in the Wood. Elnaawi looks like a contender there too. I'll bet on a horse in the Wood that NEEDS those points, not Verrazano at 3-5.
Sol Geno 6 months ago
SA dby ,spiral stks 2nd in the ARK dby SUN dby FLA dby BG stks FLA dby 4th in the SA dby ARK dby 2nd in the Wood Mem. So what does this tell you about the last 10 derby winners. It is no pattern the last decade . Verrazano looks crazy good I hope he is a monster the HYPE is good for the game
Black 6 months ago
VerraZano is a straight line throw out just like El Padrino. He's good for an 8.5 f Gr. III while recieving weight from his rivals. Just like El Padrino. Its all downhill from here just like it was for his brother El Padrino. ; ) Why do you think Pletcher can't wait to get him away from the track he ran his fast races over ? Because he knows the same thing would happen to him as it did to El Padrino ; ) He'd be up the track vs IMLD & Bobby. Desperation is what desperation does. He thinks Vyjack is going to be easier than IMLD & Bobby. He ain't gonna be. Its Uncle Mo & El Padrino time folks ; ) Don't forget to bring your wallet instead of just your mouth Mark ;-) All you people tying yourselves to this horse makes me smile :) He ain't bred to win the derby . He isn't a 10 f horse.He ran the last 5/16ths about 7 or 8 lengths slower than Vyjack while recieving weight from the runner-up. Meanwhile, Vyjack was giving everybody 7 pounds and coming home in racehorse time for a 3yr old this time of year. The guys that know they have a horse are not planning by the seat of their pants like Pletcher is doing with all but his best horse who he has a plan for. He isn't going to win the Derby with Bobby either ,buttZ... he knows which of his horses is the better one and it ain't VerraZano
Mark 6 months ago
Black seems to me you are 0/1 trying to beat this horse. You bring ur wallet to wood. vyjack will be well beaten.
Black 6 months ago
Actually , I like $ 14.80 much more than $2.80. ; ) I didn't need to beat him . I got 5 times as much without having to beat him. ; ) How you play them is 10 times more important than how you pick them. Yeah , I'm the same guy. The same guy that had Super Saver & Animal Kingdom too. ;-) The guy that got $18 to place on Reveron while you were tearing up more worthless win tickets on UR ;-) How'd that Belmont work out for you ? Were you able to finally break even on all your UR losses to that point ? ;-)
Mark 6 months ago
belmont day was great . bet $500 win on love to run and singled him in the early pick 4 closed out by schitino turf hoses wire to wire . then had $500 cold exacta rags over paynter . just mssed huge double union rags tazered in last at 18-1 when he spottede field 10 in turf sprint and missed a nose . graet day . thanks
Mark 6 months ago
And are notvyou the same black that said union rags had zero chance to get 1 1/2 ? How that work out for u? ;)
Black 6 months ago
It worked out good because the race was a non betting race for me. ; ) I'll bet against a once in 60 yr occurance all day long if I have somebody to bet. It worked out good in the Fla Dby , the BC juvie & the Derby
Mark 6 months ago
So many holes in your comment. Ill just point out the obvious. Rosie is on bobby. Think about it.
Black 6 months ago
So ! She's been on him since day one. What does that have to do with VerraZano ? How is that a hole in my comment ? It isn't buttZ... you couldn't think of a real hole so you tried to deflect : ) If there were holes you would have tried to exploit them ,buttZ... you didn't because there weren't any.
Mark 6 months ago
it means the barn never thought much of bobby to put her up to begin with . the bc juv has comeback weak . if you are keying the holybull as the key prep for this yaers derby winner gl. imld will have to run his race in fd to even make gate . coming off a track record and then stretch to a 1 1/4 ? no shot . if any horse to come back to field in derby it will be him if he even gets in . v has shown no indication of not getting 11/4 . no horse has yet to even challenge him . am i married to him ? no . not yaet . i will no more after the final round of all preps and when posts are drawn . thanks. always in a tiz revolutionay chads horse just a few i still have an eye on .
Mark 6 months ago
dont get me wrong though if race were tomorrow i d be betting v at 6-1 all day .
Mark Scheider 6 months ago
I'm going to chime in and say that I don't think a horse on Barack Obamas Earth can beat ItsMyLuckyDay on Derby Day. He faces Shanghai Bobby and who in the Florida Derby? He will beat Shanghai 5 times out of 5. The thing that is hard for folks to understand is the concept of the bounce. IMLD has posted HUGE back to back RAGOZINs meaning unless he is leading Jesus's chariot, he is going to regress ever so slightly in this race. The good part about this? He IS so good on Sheets that he doesn't have to run his best to beat Bobby again. IMLD so much as places and he's in Kentucky.
Mark 6 months ago
Respect your opinion just dont agree. Races aren't run on sheets. Bobbyvwill be better second out too. We will see. Good luck.
Mark 6 months ago
As i said not buying any from bc juvenile as it has come back weak. Imld took track record to beat bobby. Have a feeling he s a horse for coarse on top of not beating much in holybull. Has to run huge yet again to run 1-2 as bobby needs pts too. As does who ever else goes.
Jd Staton 6 months ago
its a shame the hawthorne derby is only 2 weeks before kentucky. he could have run there take a big payday and not take points from his stable mates. but thats a woulda coulda shoulda kinda of thing i guess
pokerstariceman 6 months ago
sorry wrong topic... re cross traffic. wood makes perfect sense to bring the horse in sharp since he is so lightly races.
pokerstariceman 6 months ago
2 words for you. cross traffic
John Nicoletti 6 months ago
The Wood Memorial is less then 30 days from the Derby. Not a good move for the horse. The Fla Derby makes more sense, time wise.