The final stop on the New York Road to the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve is the $750,000 Wood Memorial Stakes Presented by Resorts World Casino this Saturday at Aqueduct. A field of Derby prospects will travel 1 ⅛ miles around the Aqueduct main track in search of qualifying points to ensure a spot in the starting gate on the first Saturday in May. The winner will receive 100 points, ensuring a spot in the Kentucky Derby starting gate, while the runner-up will receive 40 points, which in most years also is enough to gain entry to the Derby.

The Grade 2 Wood Memorial makes its return to the Aqueduct calendar after a one-year hiatus, as the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in its cancellation last year. Eleven horses have won both the Wood and the Derby, with Fusaichi Pegasus the last one to do so in 2000. Funny Cide, who finished second in 2003, is the last horse to start in the Wood and then win the Derby.

The race will be televised on NBCSN along with the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes and the Runhappy Santa Anita Derby as part of NBC Sports’ “Road to the Kentucky Derby” series starting at 5:30 p.m. ET., and the Wood Memorial will also be shown live on “America’s Day at the Races” on FS2 as part of a show beginning at 1 p.m. ET. Post time for the 97^th Wood Memorial is set for 5:58 p.m. ET.

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Let’s meet the field for this year’s Wood Memorial.

Susie Raisher/NYRA Photo

1. Brooklyn Strong (6-1)

Jockey: Manny Franco

Trainer: Daniel Velazquez

Owner: Mark Schwartz

Career record: 4 starts – 3 wins – 0 seconds –1 third

Career earnings: $195,000

Earnings per start: $48,750

Top Equibase Speed Figure: 99

Kentucky Derby points: 10

Pedigree: Wicked Strong – Riviera Chic, by Medaglia d’Oro

Color: Bay

Running style: Stalker

Notable achievements and interesting facts: Brooklyn Strong was impressive in his final start as a 2-year-old, battling in the stretch to win the Grade 2 Remsen Stakes by a neck on Dec. 5. It was his first start at two turns, and he passed the test well. In the start prior, he won the Sleepy Hollow Stakes for New York-breds at Belmont Park by 2 ¼ lengths. After the Remsen, he came down with an illness and did not have another workout until Feb. 26. As a result, the Wood will be his first start as a 3-year-old. He’s a bit behind the rest of this field in terms of seasoning, which may work against him. However, he was in improving form before going on the shelf, and he has a win around two turns at Aqueduct. Brooklyn Strong is one of the biggest underdog stories of the field. This New York-bred gelding was purchased by his owner Mark Schwartz for a mere $5,000 at the 2020 Ocala Breeders’ Sales Co. 2-year-old auction. His trainer, Daniel Velazquez, had never won a graded stakes prior to the Remsen, and he was injured in a training accident a few weeks ago. Velazquez is currently on the road to recovery after spending a night in the hospital.

Adam Coglianese/NYRA

2. Crowded Trade (4-1)

Jockey: Eric Cancel

Trainer: Chad Brown

Owner: Klaravich Stables

Career record: 2 starts – 1 win – 1 second – 0 thirds

Career earnings: $104,000

Earnings per start: $52,000

Top Equibase Speed Figure: 105

Kentucky Derby points: 20

Pedigree: More Than Ready – Maude S, by Jump Start

Color: Chestnut

Running style: Stalker

Notable achievements and interesting facts: Crowded Trade had a tall task in his last start. Off just one race, a maiden special weight win at six furlongs, he was stretched out to one mile for the Gotham Stakes on March 6. He almost pulled off a victory as he rated off the pace and got clear in the stretch, but he was ultimately unable to fend off the ultra-courageous Weyburn. Crowded Trade ran a lifetime-top Equibase Speed Figure in that spot by 11 points, and a mark of 105 in a horse’s second start is extremely impressive. If he takes another step forward Saturday, he could prove very tough to beat. Jockey Eric Cancel recently won the riding title at the Aqueduct winter meet. He’s never ridden in the Kentucky Derby, but Crowded Trade could be the horse to get him there.

Adam Coglianese/NYRA

3. Bourbonic (30-1)

Jockey: Kendrick Carmouche

Trainer: Todd Pletcher

Owner: Calumet Farm

Career record: 5 starts – 2 wins – 1 second – 0 thirds

Career earnings: $65,880

Earnings per start: $13,176

Top Equibase Speed Figure: 88

Kentucky Derby points: 0

Pedigree: Bernardini – Dancing Afleet, by Afleet Alex

Color: Dark bay or brown

Running style: Stalker

Notable achievements and interesting facts: Todd Pletcher has won the Wood Memorial five times. He entered two in Saturday’s renewal in hopes of getting his sixth Wood victory and move closer to Sunny Jim Fitzsimmons’ record of seven. If you had a New York Racing Commission license and $50,000 to spend, you could have claimed Bourbonic out of a maiden race last Dec. 6 at Aqueduct. Nobody claimed him that day, and he coasted to a 4 ¾-length win. Since then, he’s won a starter optional claiming race at Aqueduct and then finished second behind Saturday’s rival Market Maven at Parx Racing. He’s never faced horses nearly this tough, nor has he run an Equibase Speed Figure that would be competitive in this Grade 2 stakes. Horses trained by Pletcher always have to be respected, but this one might be in a bit over his head. Pletcher’s Wood wins came with Eskendereya (2010), Gemologist (2012), Verrazano (2013), Outwork (2016), and Vino Rosso (2018).

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4. Risk Taking (5-2)

Jockey: Irad Ortiz Jr.

Trainer: Chad Brown

Owner: Klaravich Stables

Career record: 4 starts – 2 wins – 0 seconds – 0 thirds

Career earnings: $182,530

Earnings per start: $45,633

Top Equibase Speed Figure: 102

Kentucky Derby points: 10

Pedigree: Medaglia d’Oro – Run a Risk, by Distorted Humor

Color: Bay

Running style: Closer

Notable achievements and interesting facts: This Medaglia d’Oro colt has already shown his affinity for the Wood Memorial distance and surface, as both of his wins have come at 1 ⅛ miles on Aqueduct's main track. On Feb. 6, he won the Grade 3 Withers Stakes by 1 ¾ lengths, drawing away after rating behind a slow pace. It’s definitely encouraging to see that he’s already established at this distance and that he’s not susceptible to being compromised by the pace. His connections bypassed the Gotham Stakes to keep Risk Taking fresh for the Wood, and he should be ready to fire a big race in his first start off the bench. Chad Brown has been one of the dominant trainers in the country over the past few years, but he has won neither the Wood Memorial nor the Kentucky Derby.

Adam Coglianese/NYRA

5. Dynamic One (12-1)

Jockey: Jose Ortiz

Trainer: Todd Pletcher

Owners: Repole Stable, Phipps Stable and St. Elias Stable

Career record: 4 starts – 1 win – 1 second – 0 thirds

Career earnings: $54,120

Earnings per start: $13,530

Top Equibase Speed Figure: 103

Kentucky Derby points: 0

Pedigree: Union Rags – Beat the Drums, by Smart Strike

Color: Chestnut

Running style: Pacesetter/stalker

Notable achievements and interesting facts: The other Todd Pletcher-trained entrant in the race, Dynamic One is coming off a maiden win on March 7 at Aqueduct where he drew off after rating behind a slow pace for a 5 ¼-length win. Although it was a visually impressive race, he beat a marginal field, and his Equibase figure of 87 will not be good enough to win Saturday’s Wood Memorial. Earlier in his career, he ran well in maiden races around two turns at Gulfstream Park, including finishing second by 1 ½ lengths to subsequent two-time graded stakes winner Greatest Honour on Dec. 26. Dynamic One has shown glimmers of ability in the past, but can he put it all together in the Wood? Co-owner and breeder Phipps Stable won the Wood in 1989 with Hall of Famer Easy Goer. Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable teamed up to win the 2018 edition with Vino Rosso. Repole Stable also won the Wood with Outwork in 2016. Jockey Jose Ortiz rode 2019 Wood Memorial winner Tacitus.

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6. Prevalence (3-1)

Jockey: Tyler Gaffalione

Trainer: Brendan Walsh

Owner: Godolphin

Career record: 2 starts – 2 wins – 0 seconds – 0 thirds

Career earnings: $52,800

Earnings per start: $26,400

Top Equibase Speed Figure: 99

Kentucky Derby points: 0

Pedigree: Medaglia d’Oro – Enrichment, by Ghostzapper

Color: Bay

Running style: Pacesetter

Notable achievements and interesting facts: Prevalence sparked Derby dreams in racing fans with a very impressive win in his career debut Jan. 23 on the Pegasus World Cup undercard at Gulfstream Park. He won a seven-furlong maiden special weight race that day by 8 ½ lengths while not being seriously asked in the stretch. In his next start, he won a first-level allowance race by three lengths going a one-turn mile in what was little more than a paid workout. While he’s been undeniably brilliant so far, Saturday’s race is going to be a stiff class test. He’s never competed in a stakes race, he’s never raced around two turns, and has not yet started outside of Gulfstream Park. Prevalence’s upper-90s Equibase figures are good enough to win the Wood, but it’s not known if he can duplicate that brilliance at a longer distance against stakes company. If he can, however, he will have established himself as a bona fide Derby contender. Godolphin won the Wood Memorial with Frosted in 2015; that colt went on to finish fourth in the Kentucky Derby.

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7. Candy Man Rocket (12-1)

Jockey: Junior Alvarado

Trainer: Bill Mott

Owner: Frank Fletcher Racing Operations

Career record: 4 starts – 2 wins – 0 seconds – 0 thirds

Career earnings: $144,824

Earnings per start: $36,206

Top Equibase Speed Figure: 94

Kentucky Derby points: 10

Pedigree: Candy Ride – Kenny Lane, by Forestry

Color: Dark bay or brown

Running style: Stalker

Notable achievements and interesting facts: Candy Man Rocket looked like a legitimate Kentucky Derby contender following an impressive one-length win in the Grade 3 Sam F. Davis Stakes Feb. 6 at Tampa Bay Downs. In that race, he enjoyed a great stalking trip just off the leaders and then moved for the lead at the top of the stretch and held clear. As the 8-5 favorite in the Grade 2 Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby on March 6, however, he couldn’t get forward position and was forced to go four-wide up the backstretch. As a result, he lost precious ground and flattened out badly in the stretch, suffering a 25 ¾-length defeat. Since the Tampa Bay Derby he’s been on a sharp, steady worktab at Payson Park in Florida and Hall of Famer Bill Mott looks to have him primed for a bounce-back effort Saturday. If you still believe in him, you’ll get a lot better price than you did in the Tampa Bay Derby. Mott won the Wood Memorial in 2019 with Tacitus.

Adam Coglianese/NYRA

8. Weyburn (9-2)

Jockey: Trevor McCarthy

Trainer: Jimmy Jerkens

Owner: Chiefswood Stable

Career record: 4 starts – 2 wins – 1 seconds – 0 thirds

Career earnings: $227,520

Earnings per start: $56,880

Top Equibase Speed Figure: 105

Kentucky Derby points: 50

Pedigree: Pioneerof the Nile – Sunday Affair, by A.P. Indy

Color: Dark bay or brown

Running style: Pacesetter

Notable achievements and interesting facts: Weyburn was a total unknown entering the Grade 3 Gotham Stakes March 6 at Aqueduct. He had nothing but a maiden win to his credit, and was dismissed as a 46.75-1 outsider. In the Gotham, he rated just off the lead on the outside, made his move in early stretch, and fended off Crowded Trade in a desperately close photo finish for a huge upset. His Equibase figure of 105 represents a lifetime top by 15 points. Weyburn is another contender that’s stretching out around two turns for the first time in the Wood Memorial. He’s shown great tenacity in each of his last three starts and should be a tough presence on the front end once again. Jimmy Jerkens won the Wood in 2014 with Wicked Strong, who is also his only Kentucky Derby starter to date. Trevor McCarthy finished fifth in the standings at the recently concluded Aqueduct winter meet. He’s enjoyed great success in the mid-Atlantic region, but he’s never ridden in the Derby before.

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9. Market Maven (30-1)

Jockey: Dexter Haddock

Trainer: Penny Pearce

Owner: Gregory Gordon

Career record: 4 starts – 2 wins – 1 second – 0 thirds

Career earnings: $61,890

Earnings per start: $15,473

Top Equibase Speed Figure: 94

Kentucky Derby points: 0

Pedigree: Super Ninety Nine – My Sonata, by Noble Causeway

Color: Chestnut

Running style: Pacesetter

Notable achievements and interesting facts: Just five months ago in late November, Market Maven went off at 60.70-1 in his career debut, a Pennsylvania-bred maiden race at Parx. He ran to his odds that day, finishing a non-threatening sixth. Since then, he’s blossomed into a promising 3-year-old, having won two races in a row at his home track. In his last start on Feb. 23, he made his two-turn debut in an open first-level allowance at one mile and 70 yards. He worked hard early on, setting fast fractions, but never got tired and drew away to a convincing four-length win. Saturday’s Wood Memorial will be a class test for this gelding but he has proven he can go two turns and last through fast fractions. Along with Brooklyn Strong, he represents the Parx-based contingent at this year’s Wood Memorial. Trainer Penny Pearce is looking for her first career stakes win.