Wood Memorial Stakes
The Wood Memorial Stakes is an American flat Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds held annually at Aqueduct Racetrack in Jamaica, New York. It is currently a Grade I race run over a distance of 9 furlongs on dirt.
The Wood Memorial is currently one of five Grade I races run as preps for the US Triple Crown. For whatever reason, only fourteen of the last twenty-one winners (67%) have been able to run in the first leg of the Triple Crown, the Kentucky Derby. In comparison; the Blue Grass Stakes has had twenty-one (100%), the Florida Derby has had twenty (95%), the Santa Anita Derby has had eighteen (86%), and the Arkansas Derby has had seventeen of their last twenty-one winners (81%) who got to the starting gate of the Kentucky Derby.
The winners of the Wood Memorial who were unable to run in the Kentucky Derby were Toby's Corner with lameness in his left hind leg (2011), Eskendereya with a soft tissue injury in his left front leg (2010), I Want Revenge with a ligament injury to his right front ankle (2009), Buddha with separation of the hoof wall from the laminae of his left front leg (2002), Coronado's Quest due to his bad behavior and the circus-like atmosphere at Churchill Downs (1998), Irgun with an abscess in his right front hoof (1994), Cahill Road with a pulled suspensory ligament in his left front ankle (1991), and Leroy S. who had knee surgery (1984).
On the positive side, the Wood Memorial has had eleven winners go on to capture victory in the Kentucky Derby, four of whom captured the Triple Crown. The most famous loser in the Wood Memorial was the immortal Secretariat who finished third in 1973.
It was named to honor Eugene D. Wood, a New York State politician and horse racing enthusiast who had been a founder and past president of the old Jamaica Racetrack where the race was run until 1960.
From 1925 to 1939 it was run over a distance of one mile and seventy yards then at 1 1/16 miles from 1940 to 1951 after which it was changed to its present 1 1/8 miles. All entrants currently carry a weight of 123 lb.
The race was run in two divisions in 1944, 1945, 1947, 1974, and 1983.
Records
In 2005, Bellamy Road set a new stakes record of 1:47.16 at the 1⅛ mile distance in winning by 17½ lengths for his famous owner, George Steinbrenner.[1]
Most wins by a jockey:
Most wins by a trainer:
Most wins by an owner:
Winners of the Wood Memorial Stakes
Year
|
Winner
|
Jockey
|
Trainer
|
Owner
|
Time |
1925 |
Backbone |
Ivan H. Parke |
James G. Rowe, Sr. |
H. P. Whitney |
1:43.40 |
1926 |
Pompey |
Bennie Breuning |
William H. Karrick |
William R. Coe |
1:42.00 |
1927 |
Saxon |
George Ellis |
James G. Rowe, Sr. |
Greentree Stable |
1:43.60 |
1928 |
Distraction |
Danny McAuliffe |
George Tappen |
Wheatley Stable |
1:46.00 |
1929 |
Essare |
Mack Garner |
Joe Johnson |
Jacques Stable |
1:44.00 |
1930 |
Gallant Fox |
Earl Sande |
Jim Fitzsimmons |
Belair Stud |
1:43.60 |
1931 |
Twenty Grand |
Charley Kurtsinger |
James G. Rowe, Jr. |
Greentree Stable |
1:42.60 |
1932 |
Universe |
Linus McAtee |
Joseph Bauer |
Thomas M. Cassidy |
1:43.00 |
1933 |
Mr. Khayyam |
Pete Walls |
Matthew Peter Brady |
Catawba Farm |
1:42.60 |
1934 |
High Quest |
Dominick Bellizzi |
Robert A. Smith |
Brookmeade Stable |
1:43.80 |
1935 |
Today |
Raymond Workman |
Thomas J. Healey |
C. V. Whitney |
1:42.80 |
1936 |
Teufel |
Herbert Litzenberger |
Jim Fitzsimmons |
Wheatley Stable |
1:43.20 |
1937 |
Melodist |
Johnny Longden |
Jim Fitzsimmons |
Wheatley Stable |
1:42.80 |
1938 |
Fighting Fox |
James Stout |
Jim Fitzsimmons |
Belair Stud |
1:43.00 |
1939 |
Johnstown |
James Stout |
Jim Fitzsimmons |
Belair Stud |
1:42.00 |
1940 |
Dit |
Leon Haas |
Max Hirsch |
W. Arnold Hanger |
1:45.80 |
1941 |
Market Wise |
Don Meade |
George W. Carroll |
Louis Tufano |
1:45.60 |
1942 |
Requested |
Wayne D. Wright |
Blackie McCoole |
Mrs. Ben F. Whitaker |
1:45.20 |
1943 |
Count Fleet |
Johnny Longden |
Don Cameron |
Fannie Hertz |
1:43.00 |
1944 |
Lucky Draw |
Johnny Longden |
Bert Mulholland |
George D. Widener, Jr. |
1:46.20 |
1944 |
Stir Up |
Eddie Arcaro |
John M. Gaver, Sr. |
Greentree Stable |
1:44.20 |
1945 |
Jeep |
Arnold Kirkland |
Lydel T. Ruff |
C. V. Whitney |
1:45.80 |
1945 |
Hoop Jr. |
Eddie Arcaro |
Ivan H. Parke |
Fred W. Hooper |
1:45.00 |
1946 |
Assault |
Warren Mehrtens |
Max Hirsch |
King Ranch |
1:46.60 |
1947 |
Phalanx |
Eddie Arcaro |
Sylvester Veitch |
C. V. Whitney |
1:43.80 |
1947 |
I Will |
Eddie Arcaro |
Sidney Jacobs |
Jaclyn Stable |
1:45.00 |
1948 |
My Request |
Douglas Dodson |
James P. Conway |
Mrs. Ben F. Whitaker |
1:46.20 |
1949 |
Olympia |
Eddie Arcaro |
Ivan H. Parke |
Fred W. Hooper |
1:45.00 |
1950 |
Hill Prince |
Eddie Arcaro |
Casey Hayes |
Christopher Chenery |
1:43.60 |
1951 |
Repetoire |
Pete McLean |
Albert Jensen |
Nora A. Mikell |
1:44.40 |
1952 |
Master Fiddle |
David Gorman |
Sol Rutchick |
Myhelen Stable |
1:52.40 |
1953 |
Native Dancer |
Eric Guerin |
William C. Winfrey |
Alfred G. Vanderbilt II |
1:50.60 |
1954 |
Correlation |
Bill Shoemaker |
Noble Threewitt |
Robert S. Lytle |
1:50.00 |
1955 |
Nashua |
Ted Atkinson |
Jim Fitzsimmons |
Belair Stud |
1:50.60 |
1956 |
Head Man |
Eddie Arcaro |
Sylvester Veitch |
C. V. Whitney |
1:50.20 |
1957 |
Bold Ruler |
Eddie Arcaro |
Jim Fitzsimmons |
Wheatley Stable |
1:48.80 |
1958 |
Jewel's Reward |
Eddie Arcaro |
Ivan H. Parke |
Maine Chance Farm |
1:50.20 |
1959 |
Manassa Mauler |
Ray Broussard |
Pancho Martin |
Emil Dolce |
1:49.60 |
1960 |
Francis S. |
Bill Shoemaker |
Burley Parke |
Harbor View Farm |
1:50.20 |
1961 |
Globemaster |
John L. Rotz |
Thomas J. Kelly |
Leonard P. Sasso |
1:50.20 |
1962 |
Admiral's Voyage |
Braulio Baeza |
Charles R. Parke |
Fred W. Hooper |
1:49.20 |
1963 |
No Robbery |
John L. Rotz |
John M. Gaver, Sr. |
Greentree Stable |
1:49.20 |
1964 |
Quadrangle |
Bill Hartack |
J. Elliott Burch |
Rokeby Stable |
1:50.20 |
1965 |
Flag Raiser |
Bobby Ussery |
Hirsch Jacobs |
Isidor Bieber |
1:50.20 |
1966 |
Amberoid |
William Boland |
Lucien Laurin |
Reginald N. Webster |
1:49.60 |
1967 |
Damascus |
Bill Shoemaker |
Frank Y. Whiteley, Jr. |
Edith W. Bancroft |
1:49.60 |
1968 |
Dancer's Image |
Bobby Ussery |
Lou Cavalaris, Jr. |
Peter Fuller |
1:49.00 |
1969 |
Dike |
Jorge Velasquez |
Lucien Laurin |
Claiborne Farm |
1:49.60 |
1970 |
Personality |
Eddie Belmonte |
John W. Jacobs |
Ethel D. Jacobs |
1:49.40 |
1971 |
Good Behaving |
Chuck Baltazar |
John P. Campo |
Neil Hellman |
1:49.80 |
1972 |
Upper Case |
Ron Turcotte |
Lucien Laurin |
Meadow Stable |
1:49.00 |
1973 |
Angle Light |
Jacinto Vasquez |
Lucien Laurin |
Edwin Whittaker |
1:49.80 |
1974 |
Flip Sal |
Angel Cordero, Jr. |
Stephen A. DiMauro |
Salvatore Tufano |
1:51.40 |
1974 |
Rube The Great |
Miguel A. Rivera |
Pancho Martin |
Sigmund Sommer |
1:49.60 |
1975 |
Foolish Pleasure |
Jacinto Vasquez |
LeRoy Jolley |
John L. Greer |
1:48.80 |
1976 |
Bold Forbes |
Angel Cordero, Jr. |
Laz Barrera |
E. Rodriguez Tizol |
1:47.40 |
1977 |
Seattle Slew |
Jean Cruguet |
William H. Turner, Jr. |
Karen L. Taylor |
1:49.60 |
1978 |
Believe It |
Eddie Maple |
Woody Stephens |
Hickory Tree Stable |
1:49.80 |
1979 |
Instrument Landing |
Angel Cordero, Jr. |
David A. Whiteley |
Pen-Y-Bryn Farm |
1:49.20 |
1980 |
Plugged Nickle |
Buck Thornburg |
Thomas J. Kelly |
John M. Schiff |
1:50.80 |
1981 |
Pleasant Colony |
Jeffrey Fell |
John P. Campo |
Buckland Farm |
1:49.60 |
1982 |
Air Forbes Won |
Angel Cordero, Jr. |
Frank LaBoccetta |
Edward Anchel |
1:51.00 |
1983 |
Bounding Basque |
Gregg McCarron |
Woody Sedlacek |
Jacques Wimpfheimer |
1:51.00 |
1983 |
Slew o' Gold |
Eddie Maple |
Sidney Watters, Jr. |
Equusequity Stable |
1:51.40 |
1984 |
Leroy S. |
Jean Cruguet |
Jan Nerud |
John A. Nerud |
1:51.40 |
1985 |
Eternal Prince |
Richard Migliore |
John J. Lenzini, Jr. |
Brian J. Hurst |
1:48.80 |
1986 |
Broad Brush |
Vincent Bracciale, Jr. |
Richard W. Small |
Robert E. Meyerhoff |
1:50.60 |
1987 |
Gulch |
Jose Santos |
LeRoy Jolley |
Peter M. Brant |
1:49.00 |
1988 |
Private Terms |
Chris Antley |
Charles Hadry |
Locust Hill Farm |
1:47.20 |
1989 |
Easy Goer |
Pat Day |
C. R. McGaughey III |
Ogden Phipps |
1:50.60 |
1990 |
Thirty Six Red |
Mike E. Smith |
Nick Zito |
B. Giles Brophy |
1:50.40 |
1991 |
Cahill Road |
Craig Perret |
Scotty Schulhofer |
Frances A. Genter |
1:48.40 |
1992 |
Devil His Due |
Mike E. Smith |
H. Allen Jerkens |
Lion Crest Stable |
1:49.20 |
1993 |
Storm Tower |
Rick Wilson |
Ben W. Perkins, Jr. |
Char-Mari Stable |
1:48.40 |
1994 |
Irgun |
Gary Stevens |
Steven W. Young |
B.& M. Chase |
1:49.00 |
1995 |
Talkin Man |
Shane Sellers |
Roger Attfield |
Kinghaven Farms |
1:49.20 |
1996 |
Unbridled's Song |
Mike E. Smith |
James T. Ryerson |
Paraneck Stable |
1:49.80 |
1997 |
Captain Bodgit |
Alex Solis |
Gary Capuano |
Team Valor |
1:48.20 |
1998 |
Coronado's Quest |
Robbie Davis |
C. R. McGaughey III |
Stuart S. Janney III |
1:47.40 |
1999 |
Adonis |
Jorge Chavez |
Nick Zito |
Paraneck Stable |
1:47.60 |
2000 |
Fusaichi Pegasus |
Kent Desormeaux |
Neil D. Drysdale |
Fusao Sekiguchi |
1:47.80 |
2001 |
Congaree |
Victor Espinoza |
Bob Baffert |
Stonerside Stable |
1:47.80 |
2002 |
Buddha |
Pat Day |
H. James Bond |
Gary and Mary West |
1:48.60 |
2003 |
Empire Maker |
Jerry Bailey |
Robert J. Frankel |
Juddmonte Farms |
1:48.60 |
2004 |
Tapit |
Ramon A. Dominguez |
Michael W. Dickinson |
Ronald Winchell |
1:49.60 |
2005 |
Bellamy Road |
Javier Castellano |
Nick Zito |
Kinsman Stable |
1:47.16 |
2006 |
Bob and John |
Garrett Gomez |
Bob Baffert |
Stonerside Stable |
1:51.54 |
2007 |
Nobiz Like Shobiz |
Cornelio Velasquez |
Barclay Tagg |
Elizabeth J. Valando |
1:49.46 |
2008 |
Tale of Ekati |
Edgar Prado |
Barclay Tagg |
Charles E. Fipke |
1:52.35 |
2009 |
I Want Revenge |
Joseph Talamo |
Jeff Mullins |
Lanzman & IEAH |
1:49.49 |
2010 |
Eskendereya |
John Velazquez |
Todd A. Pletcher |
Zayat Stables |
1:49.97 |
2011 |
Toby's Corner |
Eddie Castro |
H. Graham Motion |
Dianne Cotter |
1:49.93 |
Notes:
- In 1956, Golf Ace won but was disqualified and placed 2nd.
- In 1962, Admiral's Voyage and Sunrise County finished in a dead heat. However, Sunrise County, was disqualified and placed 2nd.
- Coronado's Quest (1998), Irgun (1994), Buddha (2002) and I Want Revenge (2009), Eskendereya (2010), and Toby's Corner (2011) are the only horses to win the Wood Memorial Stakes, but not run in the Kentucky Derby.[2]
See also
References