Kentucky Derby: Pletcher pointing three to Wood Memorial
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When Mo Donegal won last year’s Grade 2, $750,000 Wood Memorial, it was trainer Todd Pletcher’s seventh victory in the race, equaling the record of Sunny Jim Fitzsimmons.
On April 8, Pletcher is likely to send out three runners in search of a record eighth Wood trophy – and perhaps another Kentucky Derby starter.
Pletcher is planning to start recent allowance winner Classic Catch and maidens Dreamlike and Crupi in the 1 1/8-mile Wood, which awards 200 Kentucky Derby qualifying points to its first five finishers (100-40-30-20-10).
Classic Catch, a son of Classic Empire, won a 1 1/8-mile maiden race on Nov. 20 at Aqueduct and then won a first-level allowance going that distance March 2 at Gulfstream.
Dreamlike, a son of Gun Runner, has finished second in two fast-figured maiden races at Gulfstream. Pletcher said he will be adding blinkers to Dreamlike for the Wood.
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When Dreamlike finished second to Empirestrikesfast in a March 11 race, jockey Jose Ortiz told Pletcher the horse “was more focused on what the one next to him was doing than polishing off the race,” Pletcher said.
Crupi, a son of Curlin, has two seconds and three thirds in maiden races. He finished second behind Classic Catch last Nov. 20. He ran in the Risen Star Stakes and finished seventh.
Pletcher already has a trio of Kentucky Derby starters – early favorite Forte, Tapit Trice, and Kingsbarns.
The Wood could border on a full field with at least 13 horses under consideration about a week out from entry day. Hit Show, the Grade 3 Withers winner, and Slip Mahoney, the Grade 3 Gotham runner-up, give trainer Brad Cox a solid one-two punch.
Others under consideration include Artic Arrogance, Clear the Air, General Banker, Lord Miles, Mr. Swagger, Ninetyprcentmaddie, Shadow Dragon, and Transect.
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