The path through New York to the 2026 Kentucky Derby, sponsored by Woodford Reserve, culminates this coming Saturday. Aqueduct Racetrack is set to stage the Grade 2 Wood Memorial Stakes, a $750,000 race spanning 1 ⅛ miles on the main track, with Resorts World Casino as its presenter. The victor will be awarded 100 qualifying points for the Derby, with 50 points allocated to the second-place horse, 25 to the third, 15 to the fourth, and 10 to the fifth.
Inaugurated in 1925, this event received its name in tribute to Eugene Wood, the inaugural president of the former Jamaica Racetrack. The competition took place at Jamaica until the facility ceased operations in 1959, subsequently relocating to Aqueduct where it has been contested ever since. Initially run at a distance of a mile and 70 yards from its inception until 1939, it was lengthened to 1 1/16 miles in 1940, reaching its current length in 1952. The event carried Grade 1 status from 1973 to 1994, and once more between 2002 and 2016. The race was not held in 2020 because of the COVID-19 global health crisis. Trainer Todd Pletcher secured his seventh Wood Memorial triumph since 2010 when Mo Donegal, who later claimed the Belmont Stakes, prevailed in 2022; Lord Miles delivered a significant surprise victory in 2023 at odds of 59.25-1; Resilience provided celebrated conditioner Bill Mott with his second win in this event in 2024; and legendary trainer Bob Baffert celebrated his first victory in the race last year with Rodriguez. A total of eleven horses that triumphed in the Wood Memorial have subsequently captured the Kentucky Derby, with Fusaichi Pegasus being the latest in 2000.
We will now review a selection of the most notable past winners of the Wood Memorial.
BOLD RULER (1957)
RACING HISTORY: 33 races, 23 victories, 4 runner-up finishes, 2 third-place finishes
TOTAL PRIZE MONEY: $764,204
Bold Ruler belonged to the legendary class of 3-year-olds in 1957, which also featured fellow Hall of Famers like Round Table and Gallant Man. He commenced his 3-year-old season with an inconsistent record. He triumphed in the esteemed Futurity Stakes at Belmont Park in September, yet subsequently delivered underwhelming performances in both the Garden State Stakes and the Remsen Stakes.
His 3-year-old campaign commenced in Florida, where he exhibited a powerful start. He claimed victory in two stakes races there, including the Flamingo Stakes at Hialeah Park, and secured second place in two additional events, trailing only General Duke, a leading Kentucky Derby prospect. Based on these efforts, Bold Ruler became the 1-2 favorite for his ultimate Derby preparation race, the Wood Memorial.
Jamaica attracted an audience of 42,122 spectators on the third Saturday of April to witness the Wood Memorial, where they observed a captivating contest. Jockey Eddie Arcaro guided Bold Ruler to his customary position at the front early on, asserting command while maintaining a moderate pace. As the contenders approached the half-mile marker, Johnny Choquette maneuvered Gallant Man to challenge the leader, and the pair remained locked in a struggle through the stretch. Following a thrilling final drive, Bold Ruler secured a nose victory, establishing a new track and stakes record of 1:48 ⅘. This stakes record remained unbroken for nearly two decades.
A fortnight later, Bold Ruler was sent off as the 6-5 favorite in the Kentucky Derby. He did not meet expectations, finishing a distant fourth. However, he rebounded with a victory in the Preakness Stakes and was recognized as the champion 3-year-old male by the close of the season.
Beyond his impressive achievements on the track, Bold Ruler is equally renowned for his impact as a breeding stallion. He led the sire list on eight occasions and also proved to be a highly successful sire of other sires. His most celebrated offspring is Secretariat, one of eleven year-end champions produced by Bold Ruler.
DAMASCUS (1967)
RACING HISTORY: 32 races, 21 victories, 7 runner-up finishes, 3 third-place finishes
TOTAL PRIZE MONEY: $1,176,781
Damascus was a strong 7-10 favorite in the 1967 running of the Wood Memorial. He was a juvenile who developed late, making his initial career appearance on September 28 during his freshman year. He wrapped up that season with a win in the Remsen Stakes. In his second outing as a 3-year-old, he dominated the Bay Shore Stakes by 2 ½ lengths, but subsequently suffered a defeat to Dr. Fager in a spirited contest in the Gotham Stakes.
With Dr. Fager absent from the Wood Memorial, Damascus achieved a straightforward triumph. Jockey Bill Shoemaker positioned him behind the early speed while two respected colts, Brunch and Gala Performance, established a swift pace. Damascus challenged the leaders as they navigated the turn, and despite some slight opposition from Gala Performance, he extended his lead in the stretch to win by six lengths, recording a time of 1:49 ⅗.
A fortnight subsequent, Damascus was the agreed-upon 1.70-1 favorite in the Kentucky Derby, though he concluded the race in third place behind Proud Clarion. He performed nearly perfectly for the remainder of the year, comfortably securing wins in the Preakness Stakes and the Belmont Stakes. Following the Triple Crown series, Damascus triumphed in seven out of nine races, with only two narrow nose defeats preventing an unblemished latter half of the year. Highlights included a 22-length victory in the Travers Stakes and a 10-length win against Dr. Fager and Buckpasser in the Woodward Stakes. In recognition of his achievements, Damascus was honored as the 1967 Horse of the Year.
FOOLISH PLEASURE (1975)
RACING HISTORY: 26 races, 16 victories, 4 runner-up finishes, 3 third-place finishes
TOTAL PRIZE MONEY: $1,216,705
Similar to Bold Ruler and Damascus before him, Foolish Pleasure entered the Wood Memorial as a highly-regarded colt seeking to recover his standing. He was recognized as the champion 2-year-old male of 1974 after an unblemished seven-for-seven campaign and easily triumphed in his initial two races as a 3-year-old. However, in the Florida Derby, he suffered an unexpected loss to Prince Thou Art, ending his perfect racing streak.
Foolish Pleasure continued to the Wood Memorial, but faced a disadvantage by drawing the outermost post position in a field of 15 competitors. Given the limited distance before the first turn, Foolish Pleasure confronted an immediate challenge.
Jockey Jacinto Vasquez was compelled to ride his mount assertively, which he did, pushing Foolish Pleasure from the start to try and gain the lead and conserve as much ground as feasible. Despite Vasquez’s determined efforts, Foolish Pleasure was positioned three wide around the initial bend. Moving along the backstretch, he was in third place, trailing the leaders. As the horses rounded into the homestretch, the front-running Bombay Duck maintained his advantage, and it appeared the wide journey might spell defeat for Foolish Pleasure. In the final furlong, Bombay Duck still led, but Vasquez was demanding every ounce of effort from Foolish Pleasure – and the horse responded, securing victory by a head.
Foolish Pleasure once more proved victorious as the favorite in the Kentucky Derby, becoming the first horse to achieve both the Wood Memorial and Kentucky Derby titles since Triple Crown laureate Assault in 1946. Although Foolish Pleasure placed second in both the Preakness and the Belmont, he added several more stakes victories throughout the remainder of his career, notably a nose win over Forego in the 1976 Suburban Handicap.
BOLD FORBES (1976)
RACING HISTORY: 18 races, 13 victories, 1 runner-up finish, 4 third-place finishes
TOTAL PRIZE MONEY: $546,536
Hailing from Laz Barrera’s stable and known for his blistering speed, Bold Forbes garnered significant attention for the 1976 Wood Memorial. As a 2-year-old, he claimed victory in his initial seven starts, never once relinquishing the lead. This winning streak included an eight-length triumph in the Saratoga Special Stakes where he was barely pushed. He was subsequently rested after that race, and despite a challenging start in his first three races following the layoff, he rebounded with wire-to-wire wins in the San Jacinto Stakes at Santa Anita Park and the Bay Shore Stakes at Aqueduct. Building on these successes, he was the strong 2-5 favorite in the Wood Memorial.
Starting from post position five, jockey Angel Cordero Jr. adopted a less aggressive approach at the beginning. He allowed Bold Forbes to settle during the early stages, positioning him just behind the front-runners before asserting control at the first quarter pole. By the time they reached the half-mile mark, Bold Forbes was hugging the rail and held a three-length advantage. Although he faced some challenges at the top of the stretch, he easily repelled them and extended his lead to a 4 ¾-length victory.
Bold Forbes would undoubtedly have been the overwhelming favorite in the Kentucky Derby, were it not for the formidable presence of Honest Pleasure. That colt had been crowned champion 2-year-old the preceding year after four graded stakes wins, and he added three Grade 1 victories as a 3-year-old prior to the Derby. Honest Pleasure deterred most other 3-year-olds, with only eight horses daring to oppose him on the first Saturday in May. He started as the 2-5 favorite, while Bold Forbes was the 3-1 second choice.
In the Derby, Cordero sent Bold Forbes to the front, establishing a five-length cushion in the opening half-mile. Honest Pleasure, also known for his front-running style, could not match the early pace and was a distant second in the initial stages. Although he drew even with Bold Forbes in the stretch, he could not pass, and Bold Forbes maintained his advantage for a one-length, wire-to-wire upset.
Bold Forbes placed third in the Preakness and then secured a dramatic win in the Belmont. Cordero carefully managed his speed throughout the 1 ½-mile contest, building a six-length lead along the backstretch. Entering the homestretch, Bold Forbes was tiring, but he still held a significant advantage over his rivals, and Cordero began to urge him on. Even though McKenzie Bridge was closing rapidly at the finish, Cordero had executed the race perfectly, and Bold Forbes prevailed by a neck.
SEATTLE SLEW (1977)
RACING HISTORY: 17 races, 14 victories, 2 runner-up finishes, 0 third-place finishes
TOTAL PRIZE MONEY: $1,208,726
Seattle Slew possessed an impeccable record as he approached the 1977 Wood Memorial. Appearing somewhat ungainly as a yearling, he was acquired for a mere $17,500 at the 1975 Fasig-Tipton yearling auction. From the outset, that purchase price seemed like an exceptional deal. He triumphed in all three of his starts as a 2-year-old, including the Champagne Stakes, by a cumulative margin of 18 ¼ lengths, never once surrendering the lead. Despite a comparatively light campaign, he was designated champion 2-year-old male.
Seattle Slew’s initial two races as a 3-year-old were equally impressive. He established a new track record for seven furlongs in his seasonal debut at Hialeah Park, then went on to win the Flamingo Stakes at the same venue by four lengths in his first two-turn appearance. For his ultimate Derby preparation race, he was directed to the Wood Memorial, where he was the overwhelming 1-10 favorite.
In stark contrast to the Flamingo, where he established a blistering early pace, Seattle Slew managed a more restrained tempo in the Wood. He covered the opening quarter-mile in 23 ⅘ seconds, followed by a half-mile in 47 ⅘ seconds. From that point, he extended his lead, crossing the finish line 3 ¼ lengths ahead. Although he had been six lengths clear at one stage, runner-up Sanhedrin closed some ground late to reduce the deficit.
There were minor reservations regarding Seattle Slew’s ability to handle 1 ¼ miles in the Kentucky Derby, yet this did not deter the wagering public from installing him as the 1-2 favorite. He contended for the lead through rapid fractions, but ultimately pulled away in the stretch to win by 1 ¾ lengths. He subsequently added victories in the Preakness and the Belmont, thus becoming the first undefeated Triple Crown champion. He was also the third consecutive Wood Memorial winner to claim the Kentucky Derby.
PLEASANT COLONY (1981)
RACING HISTORY: 14 races, 6 victories, 3 runner-up finishes, 1 third-place finish
TOTAL PRIZE MONEY: $965,383
The 1981 Wood Memorial appeared destined to be a triumph for Cure the Blues. He was fresh off a second-place performance in the Gotham Stakes, having previously strung together six consecutive victories. The swift LeRoy Jolley-trained colt was the considerable 1-5 favorite in the six-horse field and seemed poised to be the undisputed choice for the Kentucky Derby two weeks later.
Few paid much attention to Pleasant Colony. He had only one win to his credit before the Wood Memorial – a maiden special weight race at the Meadowlands in September 1980. In his 3-year-old debut, he suffered a nose defeat in the Fountain of Youth and then finished a distant fifth in the Florida Derby. Following that race, he was transferred to trainer John Campo’s stable, who assigned Jeff Fell the ride on Pleasant Colony for the Wood Memorial. He was regarded as a 12.70-1 longshot.
Cure the Blues swiftly took the early lead but was immediately pressured on his outside by the second favorite, Noble Nashua. The two horses dashed through rapid fractions, clocking the opening quarter-mile in 22 ⅘ seconds and the half-mile in 45 ⅘ seconds. Meanwhile, Fell maintained Pleasant Colony in third position, well behind the battling leaders.
As the field rounded the final bend, Noble Nashua began to falter, and Cure the Blues started to pull away. He held the lead entering the homestretch, but Pleasant Colony was making a strong run on the outside. Cure the Blues, depleted from the furious early pace, faded significantly, and Pleasant Colony easily passed him to win by three lengths. Cure the Blues ultimately finished third, eight lengths behind the surprising victor.
At the Derby, Pleasant Colony was the 7-2 second selection. Fell had opted to ride the favored Proud Appeal, so Jorge Velasquez took over the mount on the Wood winner. Just as in the Wood, the early pace was blistering. A flurry of speedsters covered the first quarter in 21 ⅘ seconds, a time that remains the fastest opening quarter in Derby history. The half-mile was similarly quick at 45 ⅕ seconds. All the front-running horses were exhausted by the final turn, and Pleasant Colony, who was 17th early on, once again capitalized on a collapse of the pace. He rallied from behind and held off Woodchopper’s late surge for a half-length Derby victory. This marked the fifth instance in seven years where the Derby winner had competed in the Wood Memorial (in addition to the four previous winners, the filly Genuine Risk placed third in the 1980 Wood before her Derby win).
Two weeks later, Pleasant Colony clinched the Preakness by a length, but he could only manage a third-place finish in his attempt at the Triple Crown in the Belmont.
SLEW O’GOLD (1983)
RACING HISTORY: 21 races, 12 victories, 5 runner-up finishes, 1 third-place finish
TOTAL PRIZE MONEY: $3,533,534
Six years following Seattle Slew’s victory in the Wood Memorial, his esteemed son, Slew o’Gold, replicated the feat.
Although Slew o’Gold was the favored entry among the seven competitors, he was not regarded with the same high esteem as his sire. He lacked a prior stakes victory heading into the Wood, having achieved placings in two stakes events at Tampa Bay Downs earlier in the season. Ten days before the race, he garnered considerable notice with an impressive 7 ¾-length win in an allowance race at Aqueduct.
The Wood Memorial that year attracted an exceptionally large field of 19 entries. Consequently, the race was divided into two separate divisions, with Slew o’Gold competing in what was perceived as the more challenging of the two. With his regular jockey, Angel Cordero Jr., suspended, Eddie Maple was assigned the ride.
The Wood Memorial emerged as Slew o’Gold’s pivotal breakthrough performance. He settled just behind the early speed and assumed the lead as the horses turned into the homestretch. He engaged in a sustained battle with another well-regarded 3-year-old, Parfaitement, in the stretch, ultimately prevailing by a neck. That victory was crucial for the Sidney Watters stable. Slew o’Gold’s stablemate, Slewpy, finished an unthreatening seventh in the other division, so Slew o’Gold’s win guaranteed Watters a contender for the Kentucky Derby.
Despite finishing fourth in the Derby, Slew o’Gold matured significantly later in his 3-year-old campaign. He secured second-place finishes in the Belmont and the Travers, but then triumphed in the Woodward and the Jockey Club Gold Cup against older horses. He nearly achieved a sweep of New York’s prominent older horse races, only narrowly losing the Marlboro Cup by a neck to Highland Blade. The subsequent year, Slew o’Gold completed the hat-trick.
EASY GOER (1989)
RACING HISTORY: 20 races, 14 victories, 5 runner-up finishes, 1 third-place finish
TOTAL PRIZE MONEY: $4,873,770
Easy Goer was destined for preeminence from the moment of his birth. He was by Alydar, out of the celebrated mare Relaxing. Competing in the distinctive black and red silks of Ogden Phipps under the expert tutelage of trainer Shug McGaughey, he was awarded the title of champion 2-year-old male in 1988 following impressive victories in the Cowdin and the Champagne Stakes. Although he finished second in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile to conclude his season, he nevertheless presented a formidable threat for the Kentucky Derby.
Easy Goer impressively claimed the Swale Stakes in his initial 3-year-old outing. In his subsequent start, he captivated racing enthusiasts by achieving a 13-length runaway victory in the Gotham Stakes. In doing so, he covered a mile in 1:32 ⅖, surpassing Secretariat’s stakes record by a full second and narrowly missing Dr. Fager’s world record time.
A fortnight later, Easy Goer participated in his final Derby preparatory race, the Wood Memorial. Five other horses ventured to compete against him, but none were given much prospect of success. He was the 1-10 favorite, with no other entrant priced lower than 10-1.
The race unfolded precisely as anticipated. Jockey Pat Day positioned Easy Goer behind the pace-setting Diamond Donnie, progressively increasing the pressure as the race progressed. As the horses approached the far turn, Easy Goer drew alongside the leader. He assumed command with minimal encouragement in the stretch, winning by three lengths.
On the inaugural Saturday in May, Easy Goer, linked with Awe Inspiring in the wagering, was the 4-5 favorite. He suffered an unexpected defeat that day to the emerging Californian Sunday Silence, who bested Easy Goer by 2 ½ lengths. In the Preakness, Easy Goer was an even stronger favorite at 3-5 odds. In one of the most memorable races in modern history, Easy Goer and Sunday Silence engaged in a protracted struggle down the stretch, but Sunday Silence ultimately gained the advantage, winning the Preakness by a nose.
Easy Goer dramatically reversed fortunes in the Belmont. He defeated Sunday Silence by eight lengths, clocking 2:26, making it the second-fastest Belmont ever recorded. Easy Goer then proceeded to win four additional races consecutively after the Belmont, dominating the New York circuit with clear-cut victories in the Whitney, Travers, Woodward, and Jockey Club Gold Cup. He subsequently encountered Sunday Silence once more in the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Gulfstream Park, where Sunday Silence held him off by a neck to secure the coveted Horse of the Year title.
DEVIL HIS DUE (1992)
RACING HISTORY: 41 races, 11 victories, 12 runner-up finishes, 3 third-place finishes
TOTAL PRIZE MONEY: $3,920,405
Renowned Hall of Fame conditioner Allen Jerkens earned the moniker “Giant Killer” due to his knack for orchestrating upsets in significant races. However, in the 1992 Wood Memorial, he was the one possessing the formidable contender.
Devil His Due entered the race after a compelling display in the Gotham Stakes, where he shared a dead-heat for first place with future Hall of Famer Lure after an extended battle in the stretch. Lure proceeded to Keeneland for his subsequent start, but Devil His Due still encountered ample competition in the Wood Memorial. He contested against 11 other horses and was sent off as the 2.80-1 second betting choice, trailing only the multiple Grade 1-placed Snappy Landing.
Jockey Mike Smith exercised patience early with Devil His Due, positioning him just behind Goldwater, who was ridden aggressively to secure the lead from the outside post. When the front-runner began to fade, Devil His Due surged forward and established decisive control in the final furlong. Although West By West made a late charge, Devil His Due retained sufficient reserve to secure a one-length triumph.
Jerkens initially deliberated on whether to continue to the Derby with Devil His Due, but ultimately chose to undertake the journey. His trainee briefly pressed the pace but then weakened, finishing 12th. Devil His Due more than compensated for this as an older horse. As a 4-year-old in 1993, he captured four graded stakes races, including three Grade 1 events. In 1994, he added three more graded stakes victories and triumphed in the prestigious Suburban Handicap for the second consecutive year.
VINO ROSSO (2018)
RACING HISTORY: 15 races, 6 victories, 1 runner-up finish, 3 third-place finishes
TOTAL PRIZE MONEY: $4,803,125
Fittingly for a horse named Vino Rosso, he improved with age. He achieved his inaugural graded stakes victory in the 2018 Wood Memorial, marking the second win in this particular race for his owner Mike Repole of Repole Stable, who held a partnership interest with Vincent Viola’s St. Elias Stable.
Starting from the outermost post position in a nine-horse contingent, Vino Rosso was positioned in sixth early on, trailing the free-running leader Old Time Revival, who established an extremely fast pace. Concurrently, jockey John Velazquez kept Vino Rosso comfortably in the two-path. As the field navigated the final turn, Old Time Revival began to tire, and Vino Rosso launched his challenge for the lead, moving out wide. The favored Enticed made a comparable move, and the two horses battled down the stretch. In the final furlong, Vino Rosso surged ahead to win by three lengths.
Despite not securing any further stakes victories for the remainder of his 3-year-old season, Vino Rosso truly excelled as a 4-year-old. He triumphed in three stakes races, most notably the Gold Cup at Santa Anita and the Breeders’ Cup Classic. He thus became the first Wood Memorial winner to subsequently achieve success in the Breeders’ Cup Classic.
MO DONEGAL (2022)
RACING HISTORY: 7 races, 4 victories, 0 runner-up finishes, 2 third-place finishes
TOTAL PRIZE MONEY: $1,511,800
Mo Donegal commenced his 3-year-old campaign with a third-place result in the Grade 3 Holy Bull Stakes at Gulfstream Park on February 5, 2022. From there, he was directed to the 2022 Grade 2 Wood Memorial Stakes, a $750,000 event presented by NYRA Bets on April 9 at Aqueduct, seeking sufficient qualifying points to secure his entry into the 2022 Kentucky Derby, presented by Woodford Reserve.
Mo Donegal elevated his performance significantly, delivering a formidable effort to claim the Wood Memorial. He raced behind the leading horses and launched a persistent late charge to capture the front-running Early Voting, who would later win the Preakness Stakes, by a neck. He finished the 1 1/8 miles in 1:47.96, with the final furlong covered in approximately 12 1/5 seconds. He amassed 100 qualifying points for the Derby, thereby assuring his place in the starting gate on May 7 at Churchill Downs.
In the Kentucky Derby, Mo Donegal was disadvantaged by drawing the innermost rail post position. He mounted a very wide rally in the stretch and ultimately finished fifth.
Five weeks subsequently, Mo Donegal made his reappearance in the Belmont Stakes, presented by NYRA Bets. He maintained a position just off the initial leaders, then assumed command in the stretch, pulling away to victory, completing the 1 1/2 miles in 2:28.28. He became the initial Belmont winner for co-owner Mike Repole, the fourth for trainer Todd Pletcher, and the second for jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. Regrettably, the Belmont Stakes marked Mo Donegal’s final professional race, but he had already established his legacy through his triumphs in the Belmont Stakes and the Wood Memorial.
