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Santa Anita, Derby Dubai World Cup Wood Memorial Day Dubai World Cup Works Dubai World Cup entries |
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 Jockey Mike Smith celebrates aboard Rodriguez after winning the Wood Memorial. |
Date: 4/05/2025
The major New York prep race for the Triple Crown is the $750,000 Wood Memorial Stakes (G2) presented by Resorts World Casino, contested at 1 1/8 miles, one complete circuit of the Aqueduct main track, worth 100 points to the winner as part of the Kentucky Derby Championship Series. Conditions were typical for early April at the Long Island oval near Kennedy Airport, with overcast skies, intermittent rain, temperatures in the mid 40's, and the main track rated fast. After 2 scratches, 10 went to post with Captain Cook sent off as the 9-5 favorite off his Withers Stakes. In to challenge him included 7-2 second choice Rodriguez, 3rd in the San Felipe (G2) after finishing 2nd in the Robert B. Lewis (G3) at Santa Anita, and 4-1 third choice Grande, undefeated in 2 starts in allowance company.
Jockey Mike Smith sent Rodriguez to the lead first time by through fractions of 23.31, 47.44, and 1:11.25 while pressed by Captain Cook and stalked by 44-1 longest shot My Mitole and 42-1 Tiger Twenty Four. Turning for home Rodriguez opened a 4 length lead through 1 mile in 1:35.68, and easily held off late-closing Grande to win by 3 1/2 lengths in 1:48.15. It was another 1 3/4 lengths back to 19-2 Passion Rules third, and 1 1/2 more to favorite Captain Cook fourth.
Photos courtesy Nancy Rokos
Pgm Horse Jockey Win Place Show 1 Rodriguez Smith 9.30 6.20 5.30 7 Grande Davis 6.60 5.80 8 Passion Rules Carmouche 6.80 Winning Time: 1:48.15 $1 Exacta 1-7 27.00 $1 Trifecta 1-7-8 200.00 $1 Superfecta 1-7-8-2 616.50 |
Left: Rodriguez in the winner's circle. Winning trainer Bob Baffert said, "He'd been training like he was going to do something like that. I've always been very high on him. He's just had some rough trips here in California. I knew the added distance would be a big factor for him. I thought he'd love stretching out and going a mile and an eighth."
Right: The trophy presentation for the Wood Memorial. Winning jockey Mike Smith said, "I could feel him just breathing the whole time. I don't think he necessarily has to be in front, but you just need to leave him alone be real, real still, because once he's happy, he's gonna run. He'll get that air, and if he gets that air, you saw what he did today."
Left: Rodriguez walks over before the race.
Right: Rodriguez returns after the race. Smith added, "Look, the Derby is always different, there's going to be a big crowd. He gets a little [nervous], that's why he had the earplugs. There's a lot of growing for this horse to do, and that's a good thing. He reminds me a lot of Authentic, to be honest with you. He looks at things and gets uptight. Authentic did that early on and then all of a sudden, he grew up and got rid of all those little jitters and he became Authentic. That's what I'm hoping he does. I think [taking the blinkers off] helped a lot, because he needs to see. If he don't see it behind him, he tends to maybe tighten up a bit."
Left: Second place finisher Grande walks over before the race. Trainer Todd Pletcher said, "I was really pleased with his effort. I think if you consider the ground lost compared to the winner, he ran a heck of a race."
Right: Third place finisher Passion Rules returns after the race. The Brad Cox trainee improved his record to 3 wins and 1 third in 4 starts, earning $189,600 for owner Calumet Farm.
Run immediately before the Wood, the $150,000 Excelsior Stakes featured a field of 7 older horses going 1 1/4 miles on the main track. Masmak was sent off as the 2-1 favorite off a 2 race win streak in allowance company, over 9-4 second choice Batten Down,4th in the Mineshaft (G3) at Fair Grounds, and 5-2 third choice Crupi, 6th in the Razorback Handicap (G3) at Fair Grounds after finishing 7th in the Pegasus World Cup (G1).
Jockey Romero Maragh sent 12-1 Mama's Gold loose on the lead after stumbling at the start through fractions of 22.88, 46.65, and 1:11.78 while pressed by 13-2 fourth choice Phileas Fogg and stalked by Batten Down. Turning for home Mama's Gold tired allowing Phileas Fogg to inherit the lead through 1 mile in 1:36.75. Kept to task by Kendrick Carmouche, Phileas Fogg drew off late to win by 5 1/4 lengths over late-running 11-1 Classic Catch in 2:01.69. It was another 1 1/2 lengths back to late-running favorite Masmak third.
Left: Phileas Fogg in the winner's circle. Winning trainer Gustavo Rodriguez said, "I told everybody that asked me what I thought and I said, 'We are coming into the race as good as we can.' I told my owner, this horse is good on the slop and is good on the fast track, too. He's a nice horse."
Right: Phileas Fogg returns after the race. Winning owner Steve Shapiro said, "I've had seven trainers in my life, including two Hall of Famers. This guy is as good as any of them. He gets respect from the vets, the best blacksmiths, the best help. He works seven days a week. He is at the barn at 5 a.m. and he could use a few more horses. He's training 15 right now and I highly recommend him. Give him a call. He's in barn 15 at Belmont."
Left: Phileas Fogg walks over before the race.
Right: Phileas Fogg returns after the race. Winning jockey Kendrick Carmouche said, "I knew that [Mama's Gold] is a one-trick pony and goes to the lead every time. He had to come back, that's the way I looked at it. This is the first time [Phileas Fogg] really came off the pace to win, so we know that now."
Left: Second place finisher Classic Catch returns after the race. Jockey Javier Castellano said, "It set up beautiful for my horse, a come-from-behind horse. He had a target to run at, and I saw the pacemaker went pretty quick on the lead. I'm very proud of my horse and the way he finished, the way he did it the last part of the race galloping out really good. The farther, the better. He's an old pro. He always tries hard and he does everything the right way."
Right: Third place finisher and beaten favorite Masmak in the post parade. The Richard Dutrow Jr. trainee improved his record to 4 wins, 2 seconds, and 1 third in 10 starts, earning $264,150 for owner FMQ Stables.
Jockey Kendrick Carmouche won his 4,000th race on, Saturday, April 5, 2025, when Crimson Light raced to victory in the 8th race at Aqueduct. Carmouche, a 41-year-old native of Vinton, Louisiana, engineered a pace-pressing trip for Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher, chasing Sir Palace Prince through a half mile in 45.14 seconds over the fast main track. Crimson Light dropped back to third at the stretch call, but Carmouche persevered aboard the 4-year-old City of Light colt to overtake the leaders and out finish a rallying Leo's Reward by a half-length in a final time of 1:23.21.
"It's a joy. It's like when you see the park for the first time as a kid and you just want to go run and try every machine. That's what it feels like to me when my fans enjoy the sport," Carmouche said. "We're here to make those people love our sport and be more into it, and I'm all about that – I'm an ambassador for my sport. I love it. I want to share that with them. They deserve it as much as anybody. To give back to them is an honor."
On to the Carter Stakes (G2), Gazelle Stakes (G3), and Distaff Stakes (G3) also on the card.
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