Wood Memorial: Social Inclusion has much at stake

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – By sunset Saturday, Social Inclusion could be the favorite for the Kentucky Derby or he could be a fading memory.

A late-comer to the scene, Social Inclusion has impressed with two eye-catching victories in a 19-day span at Gulfstream Park, including a 10-length victory over the Grade 2 winner Honor Code in a race in which he set a track record of 1:40.97 for 1 1/16 miles.

[ROAD TO THE KENTUCKY DERBY: Prep races, point standings, replays]

Saturday, the waters get deeper when Social Inclusion takes on 10 opponents in an intriguing renewal of the Grade 1, $1 million Wood Memorial at Aqueduct.

Adding more intrigue to the proceedings is that Social Inclusion – the first name called at the draw – was assigned post 11.

“We will try to get the lead. If not we’ll stalk,” said Ron Sanchez, owner of Social Inclusion. “Uncle Sigh is post 10, so the two speeds are on the outside. He’s going to have the same difficulty as me.”

In addition to Uncle Sigh, the runner-up in the Withers and Gotham, Social Inclusion will take on undefeated Samraat [post 8], winner of the Withers and Gotham; the California invader Kristo [post 6], and the returning Grade 2 winner Noble Moon [post 3]. The 1 1/8-mile Wood is the 10th race on a 12-race card that begins at 1 p.m. Eastern. The card includes the Grade 1 Carter, the Grade 2 Gazelle, and the Grade 3 Bay Shore. The Wood will be shown live on NBC Sports Net, along with the Santa Anita Derby, in a 90-minute telecast beginning at 5:30 p.m.

In order to get into the Kentucky Derby, Social Inclusion will likely need to finish first or second in the Wood under a points system that Churchill Downs began using last year in the event the race draws more than 20 entrants. Social Inclusion does not have any points. The Wood offers 170 points (100-40-20-10) to the top four finishers.

Social Inclusion, a son of Pioneerof the Nile, won a six-furlong maiden race by 7 1/2 lengths on Feb. 22 before his tour-de-force victory on March 12 in which he earned a 111 Beyer Speed Figure, the highest number earned by a 3-year-old this year.

Social Inclusion, a $60,000 yearling purchase, quickly became the subject of sale rumors, none of which have come to fruition. Sanchez claims that he has been offered as much as $8 million for 75 percent of the horse, but under such a deal the horse would be moved away from 85-year-old trainer Manny Azpurua. Sanchez wants Azpurua to keep the horse if possible.

Sanchez has put off a potential sale until after the Wood. Another dazzling victory could make him worth eight figures. A loss and all bets are off.

“If we win we’re going to review everything, price included,” said Sanchez, who said he would like to keep 50 percent of the horse should he win the Wood.

Though Social Inclusion only made it to the races six weeks ago, he was in training as far back as last April in Southern California with trainer Jeff Bonde. Social Inclusion shows 10 workouts at Hollywood Park from April through June. At that point the decision was made to stop on him.

“He was just a large horse who was immature,” Bonde said from California. “Me and the owner decided to send him out.”

Social Inclusion was sent to Premier Equine Center in Oakdale, Calif., for three or four months. Though Sanchez said he wanted the horse to run in a maiden race at Santa Anita in early November, Social Inclusion didn’t show any timed workouts that would suggest he was ready to run.

In December, Sanchez moved the horse to south Florida, where he has horses based with Azpurua. It took a little while for Azpurua to warm up to the colt.

“I tell you the truth, when he got to my barn he was a big, fat horse. I look at him and say ‘he’s too heavy,’ ” Azpurua said. “I start training him and every day he’s getting better and better and I love the way he traveled over the track. I told my owner ‘you have a good horse. I don’t know how good he can be but he’s going to tell us.’ ”

Jockey Luis Contreras said he believes Social Inclusion is “the horse I’ve been waiting for all my life.”

Contreras said since the first time he got on Social Inclusion in the morning he knew he was different from other horses he’s ridden.

“He was powerful but at the same time he was quiet,” Contreras said. “After I breeze him I told Manny ‘this is a good horse.’ This is the one horse I really want to stay with all the time. I told him to put me on the same van wherever he goes.”

Contreras was only half-kidding. Contreras, who rode at Gulfstream and will soon move up to Woodbine, was at Aqueduct on Wednesday morning to gallop Social Inclusion over the main track.

Social Inclusion galloped 1 3/4 miles and barely took a deep breath afterwards.

When asked how he felt Social Inclusion handled Aqueduct compared with Gulfstream, Contreras said, “He feels more happy on this track.”

A happy Social Inclusion could lead to a sad day for his 10 opponents.