Servis planning to take two shots in Wood Memorial

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – After trainer Jason Servis runs Maximum Security in next Saturday’s Grade 1, $1 million Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park, he will test the Triple Crown trail waters with two other 3-year-olds in the Grade 2, $750,000 Wood Memorial at Aqueduct on April 6.

Servis is pointing recent Gulfstream allowance winner Final Jeopardy and recent Aqueduct maiden winner Grumps Little Tots to the Wood, Aqueduct’s fourth and final stakes for 3-year-olds that offers qualifying points to the May 4 Kentucky Derby.

The Wood, which offers 170 points (100-40-20-10) to the Derby, will be part of a five-stakes April 6 program on which Servis will be plenty active. Servis has said he was pointing World of Trouble to the Grade 1 Carter. He also is expected to run Call Paul in the Grade 3, $250,000 Bay Shore Stakes for 3-year-old sprinters.

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Final Jeopardy, a son of Street Sense owned by Gary and Mary West, has won 2 of 3 starts. He was a 5 1/4-length debut winner going six furlongs then finished third in the Limehouse Stakes, also at six furlongs. On March 3, he stretched out to one mile and won a first-level allowance by 3 3/4 lengths, earning a 90 Beyer Speed Figure.

“On one hand I want to pick something softer for him, on the other hand if he can be 1-2-3 and get some points . . . he’s got some pedigree,” Servis said.

Servis said the way Final Jeopardy galloped out in the Limehouse Stakes convinced him more distance is what the colt wanted. Final Jeopardy’s effort in that March 3 allowance race confirmed that theory.

“We thought the added distance would be the key, which he showed us it was,” Servis said. “He’s a big, good-looking horse.”

Grumps Little Tots, a son of Sky Mesa, also successfully stretched out in distance, winning a one-mile maiden race at Aqueduct by 6 1/2 lengths on Feb. 18. That was after a third and two seconds in sprint races. His third-place finish came last Aug. 12 when he was beaten by Mind Control, who would go on to win the Grade 1 Hopeful.

“Since we castrated that horse he made a big turnaround,” said Servis, who added that owner Michael Dubb “wants to take a swing and I’m fine with it.”

“He won on the track,” Servis said. “He’s been running good since we gelded him. We’re stabled there, doing our part.”

Servis said Manny Franco would ride Final Jeopardy in the Wood. Grumps Little Tots will be ridden by Jose Lezcano.

Others considered definite for the Wood include Haikal, Tacitus, Tax, and Outshine. Others under consideration include Alwaysmining, Durkin’s Call, Instagrand, Joevia, and Mind Control.