Outwork Punches Derby Ticket For Todd Pletcher

On a busy day in the horse racing world it was easy to forget about the Wood Memorial at Aqueduct. For whatever reason, it didn’t have the same level of public interest that the Santa Anita Derby and Blue Grass Stakes did. That’s probably not a concern to Todd Pletcher, who’ll be heading to the Kentucky Derby after his horse Outwork won the Grade 1, $1 Million Wood Memorial by a head.

Outwork held off the late charge of a maiden racer named Trojan Nation who was the biggest longshot in the race at 81/1. Not that Outwork is a ‘seasoned veteran’ himself–he was making just his fourth career start in the Wood Memorial. It wasn’t a ‘ride for the ages’ by Pletcher’s colt but he did enough to cross the wire first and earn 100 Kentucky Derby qualification points. That will guarantee him a spot in the field for the May 7 race. Trojan Nation held on for second place earning 40 qualification points. Adventist finished third, good for 20 points and the cleverly named Matt King Coal took fourth in his stakes debut which gave him ten points.

Outwork’s sire, Uncle Mo, failed to win the Wood Memorial in 2011 as the 1-9 favorite. He was still on the mind of Pletcher as he savored the victory: “Forget the Derby, forget everything other than the fact it was a huge win for him in his only his fourth lifetime start to win a Grade 1. It was extra gratifying for our team because five years ago Uncle Mo didn’t win the Wood Memorial. It’s sort of vindication in some ways for him.”

Jockey John Velasquez was pleased with his ride though he observed that Outwork still has a lot to learn about his vocation: “At the quarter pole, he put his ears up, idled a lot. He is still a young horse who is still learning.”

Outwork is almost certainly headed for the Kentucky Derby but what about Trojan Nation? A maiden that had lost all five previous starts now has 40 points and that should be enough to get him into the field. His connections were noncommittal but said they were at least ‘looking at it’.