Red Zone Runner convinces Padilla he is ready for the Wood Memorial
?q=100)
Trainer Hugo Padilla said a five-furlong workout at Parx Racing on Wednesday would determine whether Red Zone Runner will point to the Grade 2 Wood Memorial on April 4. By the time the colt wrapped up the morning, there was no longer any doubt.
“He checked all the boxes,” Padilla said, a touch of excitement breaking through his level-headed report.
On a slightly heavy Parx track, Red Zone Runner completed five furlongs in 1:01.48, the second fastest of 16 horses at the distance Wednesday. Padilla said he completed the half-mile in around 49 seconds and galloped out to six furlongs in around 1:15. Padilla could not have asked for better and confirmed that he will take his chances shipping to Aqueduct for the Kentucky Derby prep next month,
“My jockey, that was the most important thing,” Padilla said. “Mychel Sanchez came back and he was like, ‘wow.’ The horse did it on his own. He went five-eighths, but the gallop-out was amazing. He did everything perfect.“
Padilla was teeming with excitement ahead of Red Zone Runner’s 3-year-old debut earlier this month, the first hint that he might have had something bigger in mind. After four juvenile starts for trainer Erin McClellan, the colt entered Padilla’s barn at Parx in January, and all signs pointed to a strong return.
But when the Pennsylvania-bred finally ran in the $75,000 City of Brotherly Love Stakes on March 3, even Padilla was left stunned. Without a second thought for his five rivals, Red Zone Runner took off early on a sloppy track and bounded away to a 15 1/2-length victory. He earned an 83 Beyer Speed Figure.
“The way he came back, he was not even close to being stressed,” Padilla said. “He cooled out great, drank plenty of water. Very, very beautiful. You can tell on the look in their eye when they come back, when they're under stress and they're breathing heavy. This horse was so calm. It was nothing for him.”
The Wood Memorial might be a huge leap forward for Red Zone Runner, but it’s not uncharted territory for Padilla. When Lonesome Boy won the City of Brotherly Love by 6 3/4 lengths in 2024, Padilla shipped him to Aqueduct for the Wood and was rewarded when the then-colt finished fourth at 80-1 odds.
Around noon Wednesday, Padilla said he was going to call owner Tom Coulter and tell him the news, that his local talent was ready to leap into much deeper waters. The trainer has not yet flinched.
:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.