Mo Donegal, Early Voting Seek Derby Spots in Wood

It all started back on Jan. 1 when Courvoisier  won the Jerome Stakes. 

Three months later, New York's Road to the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) will come to an end April 9 with a field of eight 3-year-olds scrambling to keep their Run for the Roses hopes alive through a big effort in the $750,000 Wood Memorial Stakes Presented by Resorts World Casino (G2) at Aqueduct Racetrack.

As much as the Wood boasts a solid field with three graded stakes winners at a mile or more, only one of them can speak with assured tones about being at Churchill Downs on the famous first Saturday in May. 

That one fortunate runner is Diamond T Racing, Blue Lion Thoroughbreds, and Craig Taylor's Morello , who won the Gotham Stakes (G3) to collect 50 qualifying points and now occupies the 12th spot on the Kentucky Derby Leaderboard.

For the undefeated son of Classic Empire   trained by Steve Asmussen, the Wood serves a different purpose as it will mark his first race around two turns and will provide an acid test for his ability to handle the 1 1/4-mile distance of the May 7 opening leg of the Triple Crown.

For the rest, the 170 qualifying points that will be awarded in a 100-40-20-10 manner to the top four finishers Saturday will make or break their Kentucky Derby chances.

The other two graded stakes winners in the field currently find themselves in that awkward position of being on the outside looking in in terms of cracking the Top 20 on the Leaderboard and earning a spot in the Kentucky Derby field. But both Donegal Racing's Mo Donegal  and Klaravich Stables' Early Voting  posted their graded stakes wins over the track at the Wood's 1 1/8-mile distance and are major threats to take home the lion's share of the points on a Super Saturday across the country that features two other 170-point stakes in the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (G1) and the Runhappy Santa Anita Derby (G1).

"In terms of getting into the Derby, a lot will depend on which horses win Saturday's races and how many points they already have," said Jerry Crawford, CEO of Donegal Racing, "but we're hoping 'Mo' will take care of all that math for us."

Mo Donegal earned grade 2 black type for a narrow victory in the 1 1/8-mile Remsen Stakes (G2) in December for trainer Todd Pletcher but only netted 10 qualifying points. When the son of Uncle Mo   finished third in the Holy Bull Stakes (G3) in his 3-year-old debut and then missed last month's Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2) due to a fever, the Wood became his last chance to punch a ticket to Louisville.

"We are excited to see what he can do Saturday. It will be a bigger field than anyone anticipated and a good one, too. He's been away for a while and he will have to overcome those obstacles but Todd is happy with how he's doing and when Todd is happy, I am happy," Crawford said.

Mo Donegal, who drew the rail for the Wood, stands 26th on the Kentucky Derby Leaderboard with 12 points and could clinch a spot in the field of 20 with a first- or second-place finish Saturday, while a third could leave him on the bubble with 32 points.

"He doesn't have to win this race to go to the Kentucky Derby, but we need points," Crawford said. "So he has to hit the board and then we'll hope that he can move forward for the following race."

Mo Donegal will have an abundance of supporters at the Big A as Crawford said slightly more than 120 members of the Donegal partnership will be on hand.

"There will be green and gold everywhere Saturday," he said. "(The New York Racing Association) treats us sensationally and in particular Alysse Jacobs (horsemen's relations) and Andrew Byrnes (stakes coordinator) are two awesome representatives of NYRA."

Pletcher, who will also send out Repole Stable's Long Term , a winless son of Curlin   who has the kind of speed to complement Mo Donegal's late kick, and Calumet Farm's Golden Code  (Honor Code  ), a New York-bred who was third in the Gotham, will be seeking his seventh victory in the Wood. He looks to match "Sunny Jim"  Fitzsimmons' record and take his second edition of the Wood in a row after winning last year's edition with 72-1 shot Bourbonic . 

Out of Callingmissbrown, by Pulpit, Mo Donegal has won two of four starts with earnings of $221,800. Bred by Ashview Farm and Colts Neck Stables, he was bought for $250,000 at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale.

Early Voting (post 3), like Morello, brings an undefeated record into the Wood for trainer Chad Brown after winning both of his career starts. Part of the record-breaking first crop from Gun Runner  , he notched both wins at a mile or more, first capturing a Dec. 18 maiden special weight test going a mile at the Big A and then winning on the front end in the Feb. 5 Withers Stakes (G3) at 1 1/8 miles, also at Aqueduct.

"He's 2-for-2 at route distances, which is hard to do and I'm proud of how he's doing," Brown said. "I saw him gallop (April 5) and he looks super. We'll see what happens Saturday, but I believe distance is his friend."

Early Voting's 4 1/2-length victory over a muddy track in the Withers originally produced a slow speed figure but that number was enhanced and his performance flattered when Withers runner-up Un Ojo  won the $1 million Rebel Stakes (G2).

"Early Voting continues to do the things you like to see. He's filled out. He's a strong, well-made horse who keeps growing," Brown said. "He's been in New York so he hasn't had to ship up the coast and he's done well this winter. His coat looks beautiful. My staff has done a super job with him and I couldn't be more pleased with the way he's training."

With 10 qualifying points, Early Voting is 28th on the Kentucky Derby Leaderboard.

A son of the Tiznow  mare Amour d'Ete bred by Three Chimneys Farm, Early Voting was bought by Triphammer Farm for $200,000 from the Hill 'n' Dale Sales Agency consignment at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale and has earned $181,500.

His early speed promises to set up an interesting pace scenario with Morello, who has been close to the lead through quick fractions in his three wins, all at distances of a mile or less.  

Bred by Robert Tillyer and Dr. Chet Blackey out of the Congrats  mare Stop the Wedding, Morello (post 5) was bought for $250,000 from the Sequel Bloodstock consignment by BL Racing at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training. He's earned $264,000.

"We're excited. The horse is doing well, he's super sharp, and we think we have what it takes to get the job done," said Dave Lyon of Blue Lion Thoroughbreds. "Distance isn't a question mark for me. I think with the way he runs and his patience and class, it shows that he can do it."

The field also includes Paradise Farms and David Staudacher's undefeated New York State-bred Barese  (Laoban) and a pair from trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. in Anthony Gentry's A. P.'s Secret  (Cupid  ) and Daniel Alonso's Skippylongstocking  (Exaggerator  ).

Entries: Wood Memorial S. Presented by Resorts World Casino (G2)

Aqueduct Racetrack, Saturday, April 09, 2022, Race 8

• Grade II
• 1 1/8m
• Dirt
• $750,000
• 3 yo
• 4:45 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Mo Donegal (KY)	Joel Rosario	123	Todd A. Pletcher	5/2
2	2Golden Code (NY)	Kendrick Carmouche	123	Todd A. Pletcher	15/1
3	3Early Voting (KY)	Jose L. Ortiz	123	Chad C. Brown	5/2
4	4Long Term (KY)	Javier Castellano	123	Todd A. Pletcher	20/1
5	5Morello (KY)	Jose Lezcano	123	Steven M. Asmussen	8/5
6	6Skippylongstocking (KY)	Junior Alvarado	123	Saffie A. Joseph, Jr.	15/1
7	7A. P.'s Secret (KY)	Manuel Franco	123	Saffie A. Joseph, Jr.	20/1
8	8Barese (NY)	Dylan Davis	123	Michael J. Maker	8/1