Civil Liberty pointing to Wood Memorial
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OZONE PARK, N.Y. – The maiden Civil Liberty, third in the Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity and fourth in the Grade 1 American Pharoah at Santa Anita as a 2-year-old, is pointing to the Grade 2, $750,000 Wood Memorial on April 4, trainer Doug O’Neill told New York Racing Association publicity.
In his 3-year-old debut last Saturday at Santa Anita, Civil Liberty finished second, beaten a neck by Crude Velocity, in a fastly rated 6 1/2-furlong maiden race. Civil Liberty is by Independence Hall, who won the Nashua and Jerome stakes, both one-turn mile races at Aqueduct.
Independence Hall did win the Grade 3 Fayette going 1 1/8 miles at Keeneland in the fall of 2021, and the Wood is run at that distance.
“He acts like the distance won’t be a problem for him at all,” O’Neill told NYRA. “It wasn’t a problem for his pops. His dad could run the distance. We’re excited about him.”
Civil Liberty is part of a preliminary Wood field that includes Bravaro, Express Kid, Iron Honor, Napoleon Solo, Ottinho, Red Zone Runner, and Talk to Me Jimmy. More are expected as connections look for qualifying points to the May 2 Kentucky Derby. The Wood offers its top five finishers points on a 100-50-25-15-10 basis. Nominations to the Wood close March 21.