Wood Memorial: Samraat proven class, Social Inclusion shooting star
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – With so much attention paid to the brilliantly fast Social Inclusion, it’s been easy to overlook the fact there is an undefeated multiple graded stakes winner in the field for Saturday’s Grade 1, $1 million Wood Memorial at Aqueduct.
“That’s okay, I don’t mind sneaking up on people,” said Rick Violette, the trainer of Samraat, who is 5 for 5 including victories in the Withers and Gotham – both Grade 3 races – over Aqueduct’s inner track.
[ROAD TO THE KENTUCKY DERBY: Prep races, point standings, replays]
Samraat, who won races restricted to New York-breds before the Withers and Gotham, has what Social Inclusion and the eight other horses in the Wood desire – a guaranteed spot in the starting gate for the May 3 Kentucky Derby. Under a points system instituted last year by Churchill Downs, qualifying points help determine the composition of the Derby field in the likely event more than 20 horses enter. Samraat has 60 points, Social Inclusion has zero. The Wood offers 170 points (100-40-20-10) to the top four finishers, so Social Inclusion would need a top-two finish to guarantee a spot. Anything worse and it’s wait and see.
“We came here to get the points,” said Ron Sanchez, owner of Social Inclusion.
In 19 days, Social Inclusion has gone from “who?” to “whoa!” After blasting maidens by 7 1/2 lengths in a Feb. 22 maiden sprint at Gulfstream, Social Inclusion trounced the highly regarded Honor Code by 10 lengths in a first-level allowance there March 12. He set a track record of 1:40.97 for 1 1/16 miles.
Considering the short run into the first turn in the 1 1/8-mile Wood, Social Inclusion’s early speed figures to come in handy from post 10. Since 1975, there have been 14 Wood Memorials with 10 or more runners. Three have been won by horses who were in post 10 or farther out – Foolish Pleasure (post 15 in 1975), Believe It (post 10, 1978), and Plugged Nickle (post 10, 1980).
Eleven horses were originally entered in the Wood but trainer Linda Rice said on Friday that Kid Cruz would scratch from the race. Social Inclusion originally drew post 11 but will move in one spot due to the scratch.
“When a horse is good, he can overcome,” said 85-year-old Manny Azpurua, who trains Social Inclusion. “He’s really a good horse. I don’t know how good he is, or how far he wants to run, but he’s handled everything well so far.”
During training Thursday, the bandage on Social Inclusion’s right-hind ankle came undone, forcing jockey Luis Contreras to pull him up sooner than he had planned in his gallop.
“He was almost finished when it happened,” Azpurua said. “Nothing to worry about.”
While Social Inclusion looks to possess the most early speed in the Wood, there could be others to challenge him early. Trainer John Sadler indicated he made a mistake when he tried to change Kristo’s running style in the San Felipe. Kristo had been on the pace in his two previous starts, but was taken back to fifth in the San Felipe and finished third.
“He’ll be close, that’s for sure,” said Sadler, who has Martin Garcia to ride.
Uncle Sigh, runner-up to Samraat in the Withers and Gotham, also has speed. While trainer Gary Contessa was hoping for an outside post, he wasn’t necessarily happy with post 9. Corey Nakatani will ride Uncle Sigh.
“It makes for a jockey decision, and I’m going to leave it to Nakatani,” Contessa said. “Do you go with the horse outside of you and try to get position that way? Or do you let him go and you take back knowing it looks like the rest of the field wants to be third or fourth and you’re going to be eight wide.”
Violette believes Samraat is versatile enough to do whatever 20-year-old jockey Jose Ortiz wants him to do.
“We’ll break running and see where the speed develops,” Violette said. “If the speed doesn’t develop we’ll be on the lead.”
Violette believes Samraat has done better since the Gotham than he did from the Withers to the Gotham.
“Less recovery needed,” Violette said. “He got off the plane the day after [the Gotham], he’s bucking and squealing. Physically, he’s maturing.”
Two longshots with appeal are Harpoon and Wicked Strong.
Harpoon is trained by Todd Pletcher, who has won this race the last three years. Harpoon was beaten a nose in the Grade 3 Sam F. Davis at Tampa and then didn’t do much running when fifth in the Gotham.
After two disappointing efforts at Gulfstream, Wicked Strong returns to Aqueduct, where last year he was beaten a half-length in the Grade 2 Remsen.
Noble Moon starts for the first time since winning the Grade 2 Jerome on Jan. 4. Los Borrachos, Effinex and Schivarelli complete the field.
The Wood, race 10 of 12, will be shown on NBC Sports Network in a 90-minute telecast along with the Santa Anita Derby beginning at 5:30 p.m. Eastern.