AMERICAN GRADED STAKES
PREVIEWS
| WOOD MEMORIAL S.
(G1), 8TH-AQU, $750,000, 3YO, 1 1/8M, 4:45 P.M. EDT, 4-7 |
|
| 1 |
NOBIZ LIKE SHOBIZ, 3, c, by Albert the GreatNightstorm, by Storm Cat O-Valando Elizabeth J; B-Elizabeth Jones Valando (Ky) |
| 2 |
SIGHTSEEING, 3, c, by PulpitResort, by Pleasant Colony O-Phipps Stable; B-Ogden Mills Phipps (Ky) |
| 3 |
FLASHSTORM, 3, c, by Storm CatKristi, by St. Jovite O-Overbrook Farm; B-Overbrook Farm (Ky) |
| 4 |
COWTOWN CAT, 3, c, by Distorted HumorTom’s Cat, by Storm Cat O-Gulf Coast Farms WinStar Farm; B-Gulf Coast Farms Bloodstock LP (Ky) |
| 5 |
SUMMER DOLDRUMS, 3, c, by Street Cry (Ire)Dance for Dixie, by Unaccounted For O-Klaravich Stables Lawrence William H; B-Gentry Stable (Ky) |
| 6 |
ANY GIVEN SATURDAY, 3, c, by Distorted HumorWeekend in Indy, by A.P. Indy O-WinStar Farm Padua Stables; B-Racehorse Management, LLC (Ky) |
| 7 |
REPTILIAN SMARTS, 3, c, by IncludeForever Young, by Shadeed O-Hall Christopher J; B-Runners Ridge Inc (Ky) |
Saturday’s $750,000 Wood Memorial S. (G1) will be generally viewed as a two-horse race
between NOBIZ LIKE SHOBIZ (Albert the Great) and ANY GIVEN SATURDAY (Distorted
Humor), but we won’t overlook the speed at Aqueduct. SUMMER DOLDRUMS (Street Cry [Ire])
recorded a sharp wire-to-wire score in the Whirlaway S. two starts back, and
he’s going right to the lead here.
Bred to run all day, Summer Doldrums opened his sophomore campaign with a
superb 8 1/2-length win over allowance/optional claiming rivals at Aqueduct,
equaling a career-best with a 95 BRIS Speed rating, and the Richard Violette pupil
posted a 107 Speed figure for his impressive tally in the Whirlaway. The dark bay colt
resented rating tactics last time in the Gotham S. (G3) but still managed a
decent third, and he’s a threat to move forward substantially while reverting to
front-running tactics in the 1 1/8-mile test. We’ll tab him for the upset under Mike Luzzi.
Nobiz Like Shobiz should be cranked up for a top showing following a
disappointing third at 3-5 in the Fountain of Youth S. (G2). He didn’t enjoy a
clean trip early and raced a bit greenly in the stretch that afternoon, so
trainer Barclay Tagg will add blinkers in order to have him more focused. Nobiz
Like Shobiz ran well over the main track at Aqueduct in November, winning the 1
1/8-mile Remsen S. (G2) by 6 1/2 lengths, and he posted an excellent 103 Speed
rating when capturing his sophomore debut in the one-mile Holy Bull S. (G3).
We’re not convinced the blinkers will help, but we have to respect the talented
colt.
Any Given Saturday ranks outside of the top 20 on the graded earnings list with $102,969, so it made sense for Todd Pletcher to call an audible and run him in
the Wood instead of the April 14 Blue Grass S. (G1), which is coming up even deeper with
several quality
contenders. Runner-up by a nose to champion Street Sense (Street Cry [Ire]) in the Tampa
Bay Derby (G3) last time, Any Given Saturday is a win candidate in the Wood. He
finished an excellent second when making his stakes debut in the Kentucky Jockey
Club S. (G2) last fall and moved forward off his seasonal debut, a win in the
Sam F. Davis S., to post a terrific effort last time. Any Given Saturday
registered a 105 Speed and 110 Late Pace rating in the Tampa Bay Derby, and
he’ll likely loom a very dangerous presence from off the pace on Saturday.
SIGHTSEEING (Pulpit) is the best of the rest, but he’s probably not up to
this challenge. FLASHSTORM (Storm Cat) isn’t fast enough to be a factor.
REPTILIAN SMARTS (Include) is making his stakes debut and needs a softer spot to be effective.
Gotham winner COWTOWN CAT (Distorted Humor) was cross-entered as an
insurance policy for Any Given Saturday. He’s expected in Saturday’s Illinois
Derby (G2) at Hawthorne.