Wood Memorial Odds & Preview: Many Betting Options in a Wide Open Derby Prep
- Four Triple Crown winners prepped for the Kentucky Derby in the Wood Memorial
- Saturday’s key Run for the Roses tune-up is a wide-open affair
- How should you handicap and bet the Wood Memorial?
What makes for a great betting race?
While seeing a superstar is fun, making pennies if they win isn’t all that exciting. Saturday’s Wood Memorial, where if you can pick the winner the odds will be reasonable, is exactly the type of event where strong handicapping pays off.
There is nothing wrong with exotic wagering, but the probability of winning isn’t overly high. Finding a race of consequence where picking the winner pays well is ideal. Eleven times the winner of the Wood has gone on to glory in Louisville.
Let’s look at this year’s field and examine the options carefully.
2021 Wood Memorial Odds
| Horse | Odds |
|---|---|
| Risk Taking | +250 |
| Prevalence | +300 |
| Crowded Trade | +400 |
| Weyburn | +450 |
| Brooklyn Strong | +600 |
| Dynamic One | +1200 |
| Candy Man Rocket | +1200 |
| Market Maven | +3000 |
| Bourbonic | +3000 |
Odds as of Mar 31
Just before 6: 00pm, Saturday horses will begin their mile-and-an-eighth journey. The purse is $750,000, and the race will be televised on the NBC Sports Network. Temperatures in New York are expected to be around 50 degrees with no rain in the forecast. The Wood Memorial winner has not won the Kentucky Derby since Fusaichi Pegasus in 2000.
Current Kentucky Derby odds make the first Saturday in May a pretty up for grabs affair. This weekend’s prep races will go a long way towards determining the favorites in Louisville.
Top Contenders
Nothing about Risk Taking’s first three races indicated he could be a part of the Triple Crown conversation. A non-factor in two maiden races last year, he finally broke through in try number three. His 2021 debut came in February, and it was eye-raising.
In New York, and really throughout the entire country, there aren’t a lot of better connections than Risk Taking’s owner Klaravich Stables, trainer Chad Brown, and jockey Irad Ortiz.
Lightly raced Prevalence looks to start his career three-for-three. He won a maiden race at Gulfstream Park in January, and three weeks ago won as an enormous favorite in an allowance optional claiming event in Florida.
A Godolphin-owned homebred, Prevalence was slated to run in February’s Fountain of Youth Stakes but suffered a minor injury. This is his stakes debut, and he must run well to qualify for the Kentucky Derby.
Weyburn and Crowded Trade both exit the Gotham Stakes in New York.
At a huge price, Weyburn edged Crowded Trade. That race was only a mile and had just one turn on the course.
Weyburn’s 2021 debut followed a win in a maiden race closing out last year. He started his career with fifth and second-place finishes.
Crowded Trade won his first career start in January before just missing in the Gotham. Another Klaravich/Brown combo, there is every reason to believe he can take another step forward on Saturday.
Brooklyn strong won three races in four starts last year including finishing his first season on the track with a stakes win at Aqueduct.
Only a $5,000 purchase last spring, Brooklyn Strong lost some weight after his race on December 5 and it is unclear whether he needs a race to get back into top shape, or will take a big step in his three-year-old debut.
Longshot
If you can find an excuse for Candy Man Rocket’s 11th place finish in the Tampa Bay Derby his prior two efforts are very strong.
Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott is giving Candy Man Rocket another chance, and he is among the most realistic conditioners with his horses.
Dynamic One has not done anything on the track to merit serious consideration in this race, but his $750,000 purchase price and top-flight connections necessitate a second look. Coming off his first career win in try number four, Dynamic one is owned by Repole Stable, Phipps Stable and St. Elias Stable, and trained by Todd Pletcher.
Wood Memorial Best Bet
This is one of those editions of the Wood Memorial where there probably is someone with top-tier talent, but it isn’t clear who that is. The primary contenders all make sense, but none of them blow you away.
The longshots are pricey for a reason, but it isn’t hard to see how they could score at a nice price.
Crowded Trade is coming off a strong effort, and should take another step forward. We’ll happily take +400.
Pick: Crowded Trade
Dave Friedman has covered professional and college sports for two decades. From ESPN to the Associated Press, Regional Sports Networks, Metro Networks, and many local outlets, he has written about and broadcast major and minor events throughout the country.
