Captain Cook leads G2 Wood Memorial

St. Elias Stable’s Captain Cook leads a competitive 12-horse field in Saturday’s 100th running of the Grade 2, $750,000 Wood Memorial presented by Resorts World Casino, a nine-furlong test for sophomores, at Aqueduct Racetrack.

The Wood Memorial, which offers 100-50-25-15-10 Kentucky Derby qualifying points to the top-five finishers, is slated as Race 12 on Saturday’s 13-race card. First post is 12:10 p.m. Eastern.

The card is bolstered by the Grade 2, $300,000 Carter presented by NYRA Bets for older horses sprinting seven furlongs [Race 10]; the Grade 3, $200,000 Gazelle at nine furlongs for sophomore fillies offering 100-50-25-15-10 Kentucky Oaks qualifying points [Race 9]; the Grade 3, $175,000 Distaff at seven furlongs for older fillies and mares [Race 7]; and the Listed $150,000 Excelsior at 1 1/4 miles for older horses [Race 11].

Trained by Rick Dutrow, Jr., Captain Cook captured the nine-furlong Listed Withers last out on February 1 here to earn 20 Kentucky Derby qualifying points. There, the Practical Joke bay stalked in third position under returning rider Manny Franco, before ranging up along the front pair in the second turn to take command– with enough left to hold off Surfside Moon by 2 1/4 lengths in a final time of 1:51.83.

“He’s doing good… very good. Two days after he ran, he seemed like he came out of it good. It was noticeable, and he’s been following it up every day with good training, good breezing and good living,” said Dutrow, Jr. “He put in a big run going one mile and an eighth, which was tough, and he nailed it. We set him up for another two-turn race and it happened to be this race in two months, which is beautiful because I love time.”

Captain Cook [post 2, Manny Franco] improved to 2-for-2 in starts for Dutrow, Jr., after a second-out graduation by 9 1/4 lengths sprinting seven furlongs over sloppy and sealed going on December 28 here. That performance earned an 83 Beyer Speed Figure, which he improved to a career-best 94 in the Withers.