Express Kid possible for G2 Wood Memorial
At 0h02, on March 11, 2026 • By Aqueduct Racetrack
Paradise Equine Farm and Bradley and Sharon Kleven’s Express Kid may look to punch his ticket to the Kentucky Derby in the Grade 2, $750,000 Wood Memorial presented by Resorts World Casino on April 4, at Aqueduct Racetrack.
“That’s one of our best options. We’ve been targeting that,” trainer Justin Evans said. “I need to speak to the owners as they’ve also been talking about the Louisiana Derby, but I’d really like to bring him over there – that’s a race I’ve always respected and as a kid growing up in the game, the Wood Memorial is huge. I think the race might fit us really well.”
The nine-furlong Wood Memorial offers 100-50-25-15-10 qualifying points for the Kentucky Derby and headlines a stacked card that includes the Grade 2, $300,000 Carter presented by NYRA Bets, the Grade 3, $200,000 Gazelle – a 100-50-25-15-10 qualifier for the Kentucky Oaks, the Grade 3, $150,000 Distaff, the Listed $150,000 Excelsior and the Listed $150,000 Plenty of Grace to kick off turf stakes action for the year in New York.
Express Kid made his first five career starts for owner Steve Haahr and trainer Wade Rarick, winning three times topped by a frontrunning score in the Listed Springboard Mile on December 20 around two turns at Remington Park where he bested multiple stakes-winning New York-bred Arctic Beast by 6 1/4-lengths.
Express Kid’s Springboard Mile score was flattered when Arctic Beast returned to win the state-bred Damon Runyon here and third-place Royalamerican exited to post an allowance win ahead of a start in the Welder on Tuesday at Will Rogers Downs.
The Bodexpress colt was purchased for $800,000 from the Fasig-Tipton Digital Sale by Brad Kleven and transferred to Evans. The California-bred Express Kid, a $12,000 RNA at the Fasig-Tipton California Fall Yearling Sale, was bought for $2,000 at the Arizona Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association Fall Mixed Sale.
