Deterministic leads 13-horse field for competitive renewal of G2 Wood Memorial
At 1h18, on April 4, 2024 • By AQUEDUCT
St. Elias Stables, Ken Langone, Steven Duncker and Vicarage Stable’s Grade 3 Gotham-winner Deterministic vies to lock in his spot in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby when taking on 12 rivals in Saturday’s 99th running of the Grade 2, $750,000 Wood Memorial presented by Resorts World Casino, a 100-50-25-15-10 Kentucky Derby qualifier for sophomores traveling nine furlongs, at Aqueduct Racetrack.
The Wood Memorial, slated as Race 10, tops a lucrative 11-race card that will also feature the Grade 2, $300,000 Carter Handicap presented by NYRA Bets, the Grade 3, $175,000 Distaff, the Grade 3, $200,000 Gazelle, a 100-50-25-15-10 qualifier for the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks, and the Listed $150,000 Bay Shore. First post is 11:30 a.m. Eastern.
Deterministic makes his second start off a nearly seven-month layoff that followed a strong debut graduation sprinting seven furlongs in August at Saratoga Race Course for trainer Christophe Clement. He returned with gusto on March 2 to post a dominant score when making his stakes debut in the one-turn mile Grade 3 Gotham over sloppy and sealed footing, capturing the historic test by two lengths.
“He’s trained very well all year long and came back very well, very straightforward,” Clement said of Deterministic’s development from two to three. “All his works have been very good and he’s a very athletic kind of horse – the most beautiful mover. He barely touches the ground and moves like a cat. He’s good mentally, too.”
Bred in Kentucky by Hinkle Farms, Deterministic was a $625,000 purchase at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale and is out of the winning Speightstown mare Giulio’s Jewel. His third dam, the turf stakes-winning Amelia, produced graded stakes-winning turfers Rainha Da Bateria, Assateague and Kindergarden Kid.
Deterministic will emerge from post 4.
