Wood Memorial attracts field of nine

By: SPORTS NETWORK

Ozone Park, NY (Sports Network) - Bob and John has been installed as the 2-1 favorite in a field of nine Kentucky Derby hopefuls for Saturday's Wood Memorial at Aqueduct.

However, two probables were not entered in the 1 1/8 mile race because of illness and injury. Gotham Stakes winner Like Now will miss the race due to a temperature and Showing Up has an injured right front foot.

Bob and John, trained by Bob Baffert, has previously raced entirely in southern California and has won three of eight starts for $230,070. He captured the Sham Stakes in February and was third in the San Felipe Stakes. Bob and John has been the favorite in his last three starts and five times overall.

Owned by Stonerside Stable, Bob and John will be ridden by Garrett Gomez for the first time. The colt will start from post seven.

Keyed Entry, the second-place horse in the Gotham Stakes, is the 5-2 second choice for the Wood. Keyed Entry will break from post three with Edgar Prado in the saddle. Prado is also the regular rider of Florida Derby winner Barbaro.

Back in February Keyed Entry won the Hutcheson Stakes at Gulfstream Park under John Velazquez for owner Starlight Stables and trainer Todd Pletcher. Keyed Entry has three wins in four starts for $172,000.

Tampa Bay Derby winner Deputy Glitters is the 7-2 third pick in the program. The bay colt will be ridden by regular rider Jose Lezcano and start from post four. Deputy Glitters is owned by Lacombe Stables and trained by Tom Albertrani.

Lezcano was aboard Deputy Glitters in the Tampa Bay Derby and the second-place finish in the Sam F. Davis Stakes. Overall the colt has won two of six starts for $201,797.

Completing the field for the Wood Memorial in post position order are Jazil, Platinum Couple, Niagara Causeway, Greeley's Legacy, Marco's Tale and Scanlon's Song.

Fusaichi Pegasus, in 2000, was the last Wood Memorial winner to capture the Kentucky Derby. He was the first to achieve the double since Pleasant Colony in 1981.

No longer on the road to the Kentucky Derby is Achilles of Troy. An injury has knocked the Frank Amonte-trained colt out of contention. Achilles of Troy won the Count Fleet and Whirlaway Stakes earlier this year at Aqueduct. In his last start, Achilles of Troy was fifth in the Gotham Stakes as the favorite.