Tale of Ekati edges War Pass to win Wood Memorial

By: SPORTS NETWORK

Ozone Park, NY (Sports Network) - Tale of Ekati, ridden by Edgar Prado, overtook 4-5 favorite War Pass late in the stretch to win Saturday's $750,000 Wood Memorial at Aqueduct. Tale of Ekati covered the 1 1/8 miles in 1:52.35

War Pass, winner of last year's Breeders' Cup Juvenile, was trying to redeem himself after a last place finish in the Tampa Bay Derby. Tale of Ekati was also attempting to get back into contention for the Kentucky Derby.

Trained by Nick Zito, War Pass took the lead coming out of the gate and led the field around the first turn and up the backstretch. Last year's champion two-year-old was setting blistering fractions.

Pressing the pace was Inner Light with Giant Moon running third and Tale of Ekati in fourth. War Pass continued on the lead around the far turn and into the stretch.

War Pass, ridden by Cornelio Velasquez, had the lead in mid-stretch, but was clearly beginning to tire. Tale of Ekati drew even with War Pass late in the stretch and went by to post a half-length victory.

Court Vision finished third followed by Giant Moon, Anak Nakal, Spurrier, Roman Emperor, Texas Wildcatter and Inner Light. First Commandment was scratched from the race.

Owned by Charles E. Fipke, Tale of Ekati collects $450,000 with the win and now has $769.200. The colt has won three of six starts.

Tale of Ekati is trained by Barclay Tagg who saddled Funny Cide to victories in the 2003 Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes. Prado was aboard Barbaro when the colt won the 2006 Run for the Roses.

In his last start, Tale of Ekati was sixth to Pyro in the Louisiana Derby. He concluded his 2007 season with a fourth-place finish in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile behind War Pass.

Tale of Ekati returned $19.00, $6.30 and $3.60. War Pass paid $3.70 and $2.60, and Court Vision paid $2.40 to show.