13 runners are entered for the final stop of the Derby Trail in New York. Barring an 11th hour change, this will be the last Wood Memorial contested at Aqueduct as racing operations there are expected to cease at the end of June and return to Belmont this fall. From there, racing will be conducted at the fully renovated facility in Elmont, New York, for 10 months of the year while the traditional summertime races at Saratoga will remain the same. A lot of the runners in this race are looking to prove that they belong on the big stage in Louisville next month. This race had a historic run in the late 70’s and early 80’s, producing four horses to win both this race at the Derby (Foolish Pleasure, Bold Forbes, Seattle Slew, and Pleasant Colony). However, since Pleasant Colony scored in 1981, only Fusaichi Pegasus in 2000 has been able to pull off this feat. Despite the lack of success in the Derby, this race continues to produce high quality race horses including Empire Maker, Tapit, Verrazano, Frosted, Vino Rosso, and Mo Donegal to name a few. We’ll see whose name is added to this historic list shortly after 6:34 EDT (Post time) for swan song for one of the signature races at Aqueduct,.
Aqueduct, Saturday 4/4/26, Race 12: The G2 Wood Memorial Presented by Resorts World Casino:
200 Total Derby points (100-50-25-15-10)
1 – Napoleon Solo (7-2 ML, 30-1 Kentucky Derby Futures @ Caesar’s, 60-1 Kentucky Derby Futures @ Westgate): The winner of the Champagne Stakes is making his second start as a three year old today. Chad Summers entered him in the Arkansas Derby, but he opted to bypass that race in favor of this spot. He was a winner in a maiden auction race at Saratoga in August. He put up a strong figure for that effort, but it was his huge effort in the Champagne Stakes in his second career start which made him a Derby contender. He set ridiculously fast fractions and still had enough left in the tank to be well clear of his rivals in that race. He bypassed the Breeder’s Cup and waited until the Fountain of Youth Stakes at the end of February to make his three year old debut. He faced Commandment and Chief Wallabee in that race, so that was a brutally tough race to make his first start off the layoff. He broke in a big of a tangle and lost valuable early position as Solitude Dude had the space to cross over in front of him despite breaking from an outside post. This colt was wide throughout and while he tried to make a bid on the turn, he wasn’t able to keep pace with the better horses that day. Paco Lopez is back from his injury and his suspension and he has been named to ride this son of Liam’s Map for the first time this afternoon. He was working well for Chad Summers in Florida and if he’s right, he’s going to be tough in this race. My concern is the nine furlongs might be at the outer edge of his comfort zone. His sire, Liam’s Map, ran too good of a race to lose in the nine furlong Whitney Stakes, but Pletcher believed that was the outer edge of his best distance. He did win the Woodward at nine furlongs, but he ended up ducking American Pharoah in the Breeders’ Cup Classic that year when he ended up winning the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile. The dam did her best work on the turf, but she didn’t win beyond 1 1/16 miles and her best race came when going 7 1.2 furlongs on the lawn, He might be classy enough to hold on to win this, but he’s probably going to go off at odds that are shorter than I comfortable with.
2 – Talk to Me Jimmy (6-1 ML, 30-1 Kentucky Derby Futures @ Caesar’s, 100-1 Kentucky Derby Futures @ Westgate): I thought Ruben Silvera was brilliant when he rode this Constitution colt to victory in the Withers Stakes in his last start. After one Chad Brown horse impeded another Chad Brown horse, he took the initiative to go to the front. Looking back on that race, Rudy Rodriguez was able to get in an extra workout earlier in the week, which might have given him a fitness edge over his rivals in that race. It’s awfully early in the season for three year olds to excel at nine furlongs, so that extra work at a time when training was disrupted for most, could have been a key to his success. He’s going to have company in the early stages, assuming Napoleon Solo, who breaks to his inside, He’s been dangerous on the front and we know he likes this course. I think he has a reasonable chance in this race, but how much pressure he’s going to face from the outside runners is going to determine what kind of pace he’s going to be a part of.
3 – Right to Party (20-1 ML): This son of Constitution is one of several longshots in this race. Ken McPeek sends him out for his fourth career start over this oval in Ozone Park, New York. He was a maiden winner when going a one turn mile two starts ago. That effort was good enough for his connections to enter him in the Gotham. His start was a disaster as Fourth and One, who was breaking to his inside, slammed into him at the start. That was compounded when Exhibition Only, who was in the seven hole, significantly bumped Iron Honor, who also came in on him. He was at the back of the pack while a solid pace was percolating in front of him. Christopher Elliott guided him to the outside for the stretch run. He was unable to get him to switch leads, and maybe if he was able to, he might have been cut into some of the gap at the end. There should be a solid pace in front of him, and I suspect that he’ll appreciate the move to two turns in this race. While I’ve been impressed with Christopher Elliott, I do wonder if a more experienced rider might suit him better as he has struggled with switching leads. I do see him as more desirable than most of the other bigger longshots though.
4 – Steel (12-1 ML): This second time starter for Bill Mott is a half brother to the graded stakes placed colt, O Besos. He was overlooked in his debut and he was slow from gate, spotting the field several lengths in the early stages. It took him a while to find his best stride, but he was grinding home late to get his nose down on the wire first. While it was an impressive effort, that race was more of a function of a pace meltdown. He does figure to improve when going two turns, and if closers are able to get home on this course, the pace scenario should favor a horse that can come late. The fact that Mott is running him in this race, feels like a vote of confidence. Junior Alvarado rides first call for Mott, but he’s at Keeneland this afternoon, so Sahim Civaci will get the assignment.
5 – Ocelli (20-1 ML): Whit Beckman cross-entered this maiden in both the Blue Grass and this race, but he’ll be racing here this afternoon in an effort to get his first career victory. He was a game third behind Reagan’s Honor two starts ago. That one came back to win an allowance race in impressive fashion and he’ll be the second choice in the wagering in the Blue Grass today. He’s matched his best speed figures in both the Sam F. Davis and the Virginia Derby, but was 6th in both races. I get the temptation to shoot for the stars, but this reality is that this $12K purchase has run decent races and he could have earned significantly more money if he were more conservatively campaigned. I don’t see him winning this race.
6 – Minorinconvenience (30-1 ML): This New York bred son of Mendlessohn was a two-time winner at Saratoga last summer, scoring in the Funny Cide Stakes at the end of the meet. He came back in the Gander Stakes last month when making his three year old debut. He was second in that race while putting up a solid figure. This will be the first time that he’ll be asked to go two turns on the racetrack and this will be the first time that he’s being asked to face open company. He clearly took a step forward from two to three, but this is asking a lot for this horse. I prefer others in this spot.
7 – Albus (12-1 ML): Riley Mott sends out this son of Yaupon for his first try against winners this afternoon. The original thought was to go in the Florida Derby last weekend, but I think this is a more reasonable spot. He ran twice as a two year old, finishing fourth at Keeneland and third at Churchill this fall when facing some nice fields in both starts. He was given some time off before returning in a maiden special weight race at Tampa last month where he was an easy winner. He earned a solid figure and he certainly looks like a horse that could have some type of a future. He’s a half to Song of Spring, who was a Grade winner on dirt at this nine furlong distance. He’s sired by Yaupon, and he’ll be the first one of his babies to try nine furlongs. He is trending in the right direction, but I do wonder about how far he really wants to go.
8 – Courting (8-1 ML, 75-1 Kentucky Derby Futures @ Caesar’s, 200-1 Kentucky Derby Futures @ Westgate): The sparkling pedigree has always been the selling point for this son of Curlin. His connections paid $5,000,000 for him at auction in September of 2024, and while it’s a little early to declare him a lemon, he’s yet to take that step forward to put him in the conversation with some of the better horses of his generation. The full brother to Clariere broke his maiden on this course when going a one turn mile back in November. In his last two races, he’s been a bit of a bad actor coming out of the gate. In both starts he came out cockeyed as opposed to going forward and in both races, it made life more difficult for him. He ran in the Remsen Stakes where he finished 4th. That race might have been a little better than it looks on paper. After breaking out, he was bumped twice and the second bump was fairly significant. He wound up much farther off the pace than he was accustomed to. He made a solid middle move while wide, but he flattened out late. He broke awkwardly again when making his 2026 debut in the Risen Star Stakes at the Fair Grounds. That led to another wide trip and a generally dull effort. He’s going to need to pick it up to contend here, and with his pedigree and the lack of overall depth of talent in this race, I think he’s going to be close to his 8-1 morning line. On one hand, that’s not a bad price for an expensive Pletcher runner, but on the other hand, if you took away the price tag and the trainer, this runner would probably be closer to 20-1. Value is in the eye of the beholder for this race, and while I can’t argue with anyone looking to try him one more time on the Derby Trail, I’m going to try to beat him in this race.
9 – Bravaro (8-1 ML, 65-1 Kentucky Derby Futures @ Caesar’s, 100-1 Kentucky Derby Futures @ Westgate): I thought this was a horse that was trending in the right direction after a decent effort to be second behind Nearly in the Holy Bull Stakes back in January. He was a perfect 2-2 going up against New York breds as a two year old. He went off at 9-1 in the Fountain of Youth when facing Commandment and Chief Wallabee. He had trouble for the first ¼ mile as he was bumped out of the gate and then forced to take up multiple times going into the first turn. It took him a little while to wind up, but he did produce a bid before tiring in the final furlong. We know he likes this course, so the decision to return to New York made sense. Saffie Joseph is adding blinkers for the first time, but for such a high percentage trainer, it’s interesting how little that equipment change has worked for his horses over the last year. His runners are only 2-47 (4%) when wearing blinkers for the first time over the last year. While that stat was close to being a deal-breaker for me, it’s also fair to point out that 23 of those 47 runners (49%) finished in the money. In addition, over a five year sample, Joseph’s runners wearing blinkers for the first time are winning 18% of the time. While there’s a bit of a cold streak happening in this department right now, there is an element of bad luck happening and it’s very likely that trend will likely reverse itself over the course of this year. I worry about what kind of trip he’s going to get as he’s in the middle of a large field once again, but I still think he has a chance to rebound.
10 – Red Zone Runner (30-1 ML): Hugo Padilla sends this Parx invader up I-95 after a dominating 15+ length win in the City of Brotherly Love Stakes in the slop last month. That was his first start as a three year old and that certainly was a nice beginning for him. He was competitive in some races in the Mid-Atlantic region as a two year old, and he has been working well for his first try in New York. However, I’m not convinced that he’s going to be able to build off that last race in this spot today.
11 – Ottinho (10-1 ML, 300-1 Kentucky Derby Futures @ Westgate) – Chad Brown has announced that this colt will be running in the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes this afternoon instead of this race. I’m operating under the assumption that he’ll be scratched.
12 – Butane (8-1 ML, 66-1 Kentucky Derby Futures @ Caesar’s, 100-1 Kentucky Derby Futures @ Westgate): Bob Baffert won this race last year with Rodriguez and he’s looking to retain that title with this Tiz the Law colt. His best effort came at seven furlongs when he finished second to So Happy in the San Vicente stakes at the beginning of the year. His two turn effort at Oaklawn wasn’t awful, but it wasn’t great either. He ran last month in the Virginia Derby which is run at a one-turn 1 ⅛ distance there. He was the favorite in that race, and while his trip wasn’t ideal, he never looked like a winner in that race. His dam’s runners have generally been more effective at one turn so it’s really hard for me to believe that he can win this race at this distance from that post. He’s a hard pass for me.
13 – Iron Honor (5-2 ML, 5-2 ML, 28-1 Kentucky Derby Futures @ Caesar’s, 60-1 Kentucky Derby Futures @ Westgate): The morning line favorite will start from Post 12 barring any other scratches in this field. This will be his two turn debut after winning his first two starts on this oval. He was very impressive in debut win at six furlongs, and while his win in the Gotham wasn’t quite as flashy as his debut, it was still a hard fought race where he gutted out another win. He has the points to get into the Derby if Brown wants to take him there, so Manny Franco has a bit of a luxury to choose his own adventure here. He could choose to send him hard early and try to take it to this field from the jump or he could opt to try to tuck in and see how kindly this horse rates when going two turns for the first time. He probably has the highest ceiling in the field and the educational experience here should be valuable. Whether or not he can parlay that into another victory though remains to be seen.
The Verdict: 9-13-1
I think there’s a chance that this pace could absolutely fall apart, especially if we see the course playing fairly throughout the afternoon. If that happens, I think Bravaro (#9) could pull off the upset while returning home. He faced one of the sharper fields during this prep season and nothing was going his way early on. He made a decent bid to get into striking position for leveling off in the later stages. If he can get a clean trip, I think he’s the one that has the best chance to come running late.
Iron Honor (#13) will show what he’s made of this race. I remember how Big Brown came into the 2008 Florida Derby with something prove and he had to overcome the 12 hole in a nine furlong race there, which historically, has been an extremely difficult task on that course. The configuration of the track here at the Big A isn’t that much different, so this assignment could be extremely tough. However, I do think he has the highest ceiling, and while I don’t think he’s in the same class as Big Brown yet, I do think he’ll need that kind of effort to win this race.
Napoleon Solo (#1) is worth covering in this race because he has the pole position and we often see courses that are a little more speed friendly on big race days. Much like Bravaro, he didn’t have the best journey in the Fountain of Youth. However, I do think both runners will benefit from testing themselves against some of the better three year old in training at the moment.
We’ll have coverage of every North American Derby Points Race, along with plenty of coverage leading up to the 152nd Kentucky Derby on May 2nd, 2026. Current futures odds from Westgate or Caesars-William Hill will be provided as they are available. Feel free to reach out on Twitter @EricSolomon718.
