Hit Show draws far outside in Wood Memorial

Apr 06, 2023 James Scully/TwinSpires.com

Kentucky Derby points are at a premium in 2023 and none of
the 13 horses entered in Saturday’s $750,000
Wood Memorial (G2) at Aqueduct have guaranteed themselves a spot in a
20-horse Kentucky Derby field on May 6. It’s the last of four qualifiers in the
Road
to the Kentucky Derby series in New York this year, and the 1 1/8-mile race
will award points on a 100-40-30-20-10 basis to the top five finishers.

Here are three talking points for the Wood Memorial.

1 Hit Show favored
at 5-2, breaks from post 12

Only 12 will head to the Wood Memorial starting gate
following the defection of Clear the Air, who will instead contest Saturday’s Blue Grass (G1) at Keeneland, and Hit Show figures to be a prohibitive favorite from the far outside
post. A winner in three of four starts, the gray Candy Ride colt will enter on
the upswing for Brad Cox; he recorded a convincing allowance tally at Oaklawn
Park before romping by 5 1/2 lengths in his stakes debut, the Feb. 11 Withers (G3) at Aqueduct. His finishing ability
has been noteworthy so far.

Hit Show isn’t the most tactical performer, but he was able
to race closer to the pace in the Withers and doesn’t have to be too far back
during the early stages of the Wood. There isn’t an abundance of early speed to
his inside, and Manny Franco will look to drop over toward midpack to avoid
being caught wide into the first turn.

2. Maiden
installed as 7-2 second choice, leads Pletcher trio

Hit Show has established himself as a serious Kentucky Derby
contender, but the rest of the Wood field has something to prove. It won’t
be the deepest Kentucky Derby prep this spring.

Todd Pletcher always merits respect in the Aqueduct feature,
winning his seventh edition of the Wood last year to equal the legendary “Sunny Jim”
Fitzsimmons for the record, and the Hall of Fame trainer will send out three
Wood runners, including 7-2 morning line second choice Dreamlike.

A $975,000 yearly purchase by Gun Runner, Dreamlike is
winless from two starts. The chestnut colt recorded a solid second at first asking over a
one-turn mile at Gulfstream Park in mid-February, and he exits a fast
effort in a two-turn maiden special weight on March 11, missing by less than a
length to well-regarded Empirestrikesfast. Dreamlike registered a 98 Brisnet Speed rating, the top last-out number in the Wood
field, and he adds blinkers.

Look for Dreamlike to show speed from the break with Jose
Ortiz. Crupi is also a maiden for
Pletcher, but he looks up-against it following a dull seventh in the Risen Star
(G2) at Fair Grounds. Classic Catch
is more intriguing for the two-time Kentucky Derby-winning trainer, recording a
convincing two-length allowance score at Gulfstream on March 11. Both of his
wins have come at 1 1/8 miles, and while his figures remain a little light,
those numbers are eligible to jump forward significantly if he continues to progress.

3. Key test
for Arctic Arrogance, Slip Mahoney, General Banker

Arctic Arrogance
has never finished worse than second from six starts, filling the runner-up
spot in the Withers, Jerome, and Remsen (G2), and trainer Linda Rise will
remove blinkers from the speedy New York-bred colt. After facing softer
competition over the winter, Arctic Arrogance gave way readily to Hit Show last
time, and the 6-1 co-third choice will need to step up with a career-best
effort to factor Saturday.

Slip Mahoney
raced on the front end when breaking his maiden two back, so it was so surprising
to see him racing in 13th down the backstretch of the March 4 Gotham (G3). However, he overcame the slow start to
record a non-threatening second, closing fast down the middle of the sloppy
stretch at Aqueduct. Bred to appreciate the added ground, the Brad Cox-trained
colt is a candidate to keep moving forward off that effort with a better break
in the Wood.

General Banker closed
belatedly to grab third in the Gotham, Withers, and Jerome. He didn’t run fast in
those efforts, and the 1 1/8-mile distance may not be a good fit for the restricted
sprint stakes winner. General Banker is listed at 20-1 on the morning line, but he always seems to grab a small share.