Wooderson has first stakes test in Oklahoma Derby

The time has come.

Wooderson, who is a half-brother to 2009 Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra, will make his stakes debut Sunday in the Grade 3, $400,000 Oklahoma Derby at Remington Park.

It’s a good first test. The field of 11 for the 1 1/8-mile race includes Super Derby winner Limation as well as Combatant and Lone Sailor, both of whom lined up against eventual Triple Crown winner Justify in the Kentucky Derby.

Sea Foam is in from Belmont Park in search of his third straight stakes win. Trainer John Servis makes his Remington debut with Diamond King and First Mondays. Believe in Royalty won the Ellis Park Derby over Limation and boasts a royal pedigree as a son of Tapit and Kentucky Oaks winner Believe You Can.

The Oklahoma Derby anchors a card of 10 stakes worth $1.3 million. There is a special first post of 3 p.m. Central. Forecasters are calling for highs in the mid-80s with a 20 percent chance of rain. Remington will have a $100,000 minimum guaranteed pool for a late pick four on races 9-12. The all-stakes sequence includes the Oklahoma Derby and Grade 3, $200,000 Remington Park Oaks.

Oklahoma Derby (Race 11)

Wooderson, by Awesome Again
Last 3 Beyers: 90-86-57

◗ He’s come to hand in recent months, winning a maiden special weight in his third start July 22 and finishing second by a half-length in a first-level allowance Sept. 1. Both starts were over 1 1/8 miles at Saratoga.

“He really improved once we stretched him out to a mile and an eighth,” said Todd Pletcher, who trains Wooderson for Lets Go Stable. “We always thought he would get better as he matured and got older and got stretched out. His last two races show he’s heading in the right direction.”

◗ Wooderson will remove blinkers Sunday.

“We felt like he was maybe just a little too keen in the early stages of the race last time,” Pletcher said.

◗ Jose Ortiz has the mount from post 2.

Limation, by Alternation
Last 3 Beyers: 97-50-85

◗ He powered to a 5 3/4-length win in the Grade 3, $300,000 Super Derby in his last start Sept. 2.

“It was a breakthrough race,” trainer Steve Asmussen said. “He’s trained very impressively since and, hopefully, he’ll run just as well. He’s worked really well over the Remington track.”

◗ Asmussen trains Limation for Michael Langford, the team that won last year’s Oklahoma Derby with Untrapped.

◗ Diego Saenz has the mount from post 4.

Combatant, by Scat Daddy
Last 3 Beyers: 81-80-74

◗ He’s back at Remington – where last year he finished second in the $400,000 Springboard Mile – off a close fourth-place finish in the $100,000 Better Talk Now on Aug. 27 at Saratoga.

“He’s run on turf the last two races,” Asmussen said. “He came home unbelievably fast in a no-pace race last time out.”

◗ Ricardo Santana Jr., has the mount from post 8.

First Mondays, by Curlin
Last 3 Beyers: 85-83-78

◗ A winner of two of three starts, he made his stakes debut in the Grade 3 Smarty Jones at Parx and finished third in the 1 1/16-mile race Aug. 25.

“He’s a slowly improving horse, has a world of talent,” Servis said. “He was up a little close early in the Smarty Jones and dropped way out of it and came running again to finish a real good third.”

◗ Servis said he likes the added ground for First Mondays, who will break from post 11 under Paco Lopez.

Diamond King, by Quality Road
Last 3 Beyers: 86-88-79

◗ A two-time stakes winner, he was second in the Smarty Jones.

“He likes to be up close,” Servis said. “In a perfect world, he’s sitting second or third off the pace.”

Sea Foam, by Medaglia d’Oro
Last 3 Beyers: 84-82-79

◗ A three-time stakes winner, he wired his rivals at 1 1/8 miles in the $250,000 Albany on Aug. 24 at Saratoga.

“I thought it was a very gutsy race,” trainer Christophe Clement said. “He was a bit aggressive and was carrying a lot of weight, giving a little weight to everybody else.”

◗ Florent Geroux has the mount from post 9.