Wood Memorial Stakes
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The Wood Memorial Stakes at Aqueduct Racetrack in Jamaica, New York is an American horse race first run in 1925. It was named to honor Eugene D. Wood, a New York State politician and horse racing enthusiast who had been a founder and past president of the old Jamaica Racetrack.
The Wood Memorial race is a Grade 1 stakes race for three-year-old thoroughbreds. From 1925 to 1939 it was run over a distance of one mile and seventy yards then at 1 1/16 miles from 1940 to 1951 after which it was changed to its present 1 1/8 miles. All entrants carry a weight of 123 lbs.
Run in April of each year, the Wood Memorial is a major prep race with eleven winners having gone on to capture victory in the Kentucky Derby, four of whom captured the Triple crown.
In 2005, Bellamy Road set a new stakes record while winning by 17½ lengths for its famous owner, George Steinbrenner. The most famous non-winner in the Wood Memorial was the immortal Secretariat who finished third in 1973.
Winningest jockeys:
- Eddie Arcaro - 9
- Angel Cordero, Jr. - 4
- Johnny Longden - 3
- Willie Shoemaker - 3
- Mike Smith - 3
The race was run in two divisions in 1944, 1945, 1947, 1974, and 1983.
Past winners:
- 2005 : Bellamy Road
- 2004 : Tapit
- 2003 : Empire Maker
- 2002 : Buddha
- 2001 : Congaree
- 2000 : Fusaichi Pegasus
- 1999 : Adonis
- 1998 : Coronado's Quest
- 1997 : Captain Bodgit
- 1996 : Unbridled's Song
- 1995 : Talkin Man
- 1994 : Irgun
- 1993 : Storm Tower
- 1992 : Devil His Due
- 1991 : Cahill Road
- 1990 : Thirty Six Red
- 1989 : Easy Goer
- 1988 : Private Terms
- 1987 : Gulch
- 1986 : Broad Brush
- 1985 : Eternal Prince
- 1984 : Leroy S.
- 1983 : Slew o' Gold & Bounding Basque
- 1982 : Air Forbes Won
- 1981 : Pleasant Colony
- 1980 : Plugged Nickle
- 1979 : Instrument Landing
- 1978 : Believe It
- 1977 : Seattle Slew
- 1976 : Bold Forbes
- 1975 : Foolish Pleasure
- 1974 : Rube The Great & Flip Sal
- 1973 : Angle Light
- 1972 : Upper Case
- 1971 : Good Behaving
- 1970 : Personality
- 1969 : Dike
- 1968 : Dancer's Image
- 1967 : Damascus
- 1966 : Amberoid
- 1965 : Flag Raiser
- 1964 : Quadrangle
- 1963 : No Robbery
- 1962 : Admiral's Voyage
- 1961 : Globemaster
- 1960 : Francis S.
- 1959 : Manassa Mauler
- 1958 : Jewel's Reward
- 1957 : Bold Ruler
- 1956 : Head Man
- 1955 : Nashua
- 1954 : Correlation
- 1953 : Native Dancer
- 1952 : Master Fiddle
- 1951 : Repetoire
- 1950 : Hill Prince
- 1949 : Olympia
- 1948 : My Request
- 1947 : I Will & Phalanx
- 1946 : Assault
- 1945 : Jeep
- 1944 : Stir Up
- 1943 : Count Fleet
- 1942 : Requested
- 1941 : Market Wise
- 1940 : Dit
- 1939 : Johnstown
- 1938 : Fighting Fox
- 1937 : Melodist
- 1936 : Teufel
- 1935 : Today
- 1934 : High Quest
- 1933 : Mr. Khayyam
- 1932 : Universe
- 1931 : Twenty Grand
- 1930 : Gallant Fox
- 1929 : Essare
- 1928 : Distraction
- 1927 : Saxon
- 1926 : Pompey
- 1925 : Backbone
Notes:
- In 1956, Golf Ace was disqualified from first and placed second.
- In 1962, Admiral's Voyage finished in a dead heat with Sunrise County, who was disqualified and placed second.
