Videos tagged with "wood memorial"

2001 Wood Memorial Stakes - Monarchos -vs- Congaree [01:53]
The phone call Bob McNair received after Congaree muscled his way to victory in the Wood Memorial yesterday said it all: it was from Dom Capers, who will coach McNair's Houston Texans when the expansion franchise makes its National Football League debut in 2002. ''This is Coach Capers,'' McNair said as he covered the cell phone. ''He wants us to draft a running back as big and fast as Congaree.'' Congaree, a son of Arazi, looked like a punishing runner in dashing off with a two-and-three-quarter-length victory over Monarchos, the colt supposed to be the best in the East. Congaree is also sending Bob Baffert to the Kentucky Derby as the trainer most likely to succeed. With Millennium Wind upsetting a very tough field in the Blue Grass Stakes yesterday and with the favored Balto Star splashing in gate-to-wire fashion in the mud in the Arkansas Derby, Baffert, who owns two previous Derby victories, may be holding the surest hand May 5 at Churchill Downs. He already has the pre-Derby favorite in his barn in Point Given, a nearly six-length winner in the Santa Anita Derby last week. Now Baffert has a colt that made vanquishing stakes company in his first try and only fourth lifetime race look easy. ''He has as much talent as Point Given,'' Baffert said. ''Now it's a matter of who wants it more.'' As soon as the strapping chestnut burst from the gate at Aqueduct in the mile and one-eighth race, it was clear that Monarchos, the Florida Derby winner, was in for a test. Congaree's ...
Tags: aqueduct, horse, racing, congaree, monarchos, tom, durkin, jorge, chavez, bob, baffert, stonerside, stable, marias, mon, arazi, victor, espinoza

1997 Wood Memorial Stakes [02:37]
Despite the steady rain that nearly forced him to withdraw, and despite the fears of his handlers that he might work too hard, Captain Bodgit won the Wood Memorial at Aqueduct yesterday with a finishing kick that confirmed his status as the favorite for the Kentucky Derby. The star colt with the funny-looking foreleg overcame the weather and his handlers' worries to run the third-fastest time in the 72 years of the Wood. He covered the mile and one-eighth in 1:481/5 , finishing two lengths in front of Accelerator and three in front of Smokin Mel. It was 3 1/2 more lengths back to the second choice, Ordway. And by then Captain Bodgit was flying through the mud at the close of a brilliant performance. The Wood was the centerpiece of three major preps yesterday for the Kentucky Derby. There were 28 contenders in all, but favorites won all three: Pulpit took the Blue Grass at Keeneland in Lexington, Ky., and Crypto Star won the Arkansas Derby at Hot Springs while Captain Bodgit was scoring his success at Aqueduct. Captain Bodgit, a son of Saint Ballado, has now met almost every test for the Derby: he has won the Florida Derby and the Wood; he has won around two turns; he has demonstrated a winning kick in the final furlong and he has run and won on a heavy track. Now, all he has to do is do it again on May 3 against a huge field of perhaps 18 to 20 horses at Churchill Downs. ''He's just a super horse,'' said Gary Capuano, who trains Captain Bodgit for the Team Valor syndicate ...
Tags: aqueduct, horse, racing, tom, durkin, team, valor, alex, solis, captain, bodgit, accelerator, smikin, mel

2010 Wood Memorial (G1) - Eskendereya [02:00]
Taking command at the top of the stretch, heavily favored Eskedereya blew away five rivals to take the 86th running of the Grade 1, $750000 Wood Memorial on Saturday afternoon at Aqueduct Racetrack by an authoritative 9¾ lengths over Jackson Bend. The margin of victory was even greater than his 8½-length win over Jackson Bend in his previous start in the Fountain of Youth on February 20 and reaffirmed Eskendereyas status as a leading contender for the May 1 Kentucky Derby. In the 85 previous runnings of the Wood, 24 winners have gone on to claim the favorites role in the Run for the Roses; 11 have won. Ridden by John Velazquez, the 3-year-old chestnut son of Giants Causeway settled in third behind fractions of 24.32, 49.21 and 1:13.54 set by longshot Most Happy Fella, then ranged up three wide on the far turn to take over straightening for home. With Velazquez glancing back over his shoulder, Eskendereya continued to widen the margin between himself and the rest of the field, hitting the wire in 1:49.97 for the 1 1/8th miles. There was more there than what we saw, even as impressive as it was, said Todd Pletcher, who trains Eskendereya for Zayat Stables. The thing that Johnny did today was take pretty good care of him from the eighth pole to the wire.

2010 Wood Memorial [02:25]
Eskendereya dominates the Wood Memorial at Aqueduct on April 3, 2010.
Tags: Eskendereya, Wood, Memorial, Aqueduct, NTRA, horse, racing

AQUEDUCT PICK ALL RACES FOR 4/3 WOOD MEMORIAL [04:04]
TOP PICKS FOR ALL RACES
Tags: AQUEDUCT, HORSE, RACING, FREE, SELECTIONS