Bet on The Wood Memorial
Held every April at New York’s Aqueduct Race Track, the Wood Memorial is considered one of the most important prep races for the Kentucky Derby. First run in 1925 at a distance of 1 mile, since 1958 the distance has been set at 1 1/8 miles. The Wood is rated as a Grade I race, and currently carries a total purse of $1 million. Since it’s inauguration, 11 winners of the Wood have gone on to win the Kentucky Derby, with four of those sweeping the Triple Crown of US racing.
Wood Memorial Racebooks
Like a trainer looking for a competitive edge going into a big race like the Wood Memorial, horseplayers can get ahead of their wagering competition by placing their bets with any of our recommended racebooks listed below.
| # | Site | DEPOSIT BONUS AND CASH BACK | SITE LINK | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 |  | 50% up to $1,000 + $25 Risk Free Bet + 7% Rebates | BET! | |
| #2 |  | $250 Free Bet on Props + Head-to-Heads | BET! | |
| #3 |  | Up to 13% Weekly Loyalty Rewards | BET! |
* REMINDER! - you must be of legal age in your state or province to legally wager on thoroughbred or harness horse racing. Please bet responsibly!
Wood Memorial Betting Odds
While nothing beats a day at the track taking in a major racing event like the Wood Memorial, when you can't actually get to the track Bovada.lv provides the next best thing, with competitive odds on not only the day's feature race, but the entire undercard on Wood Memorial Day.
2017 Wood Memorial Contenders
While making his second start around two turns Outwork hooked up with Matt King Cole early and put away that stubborn rival, but had to survive a serious scare from longshot Trojoan Nation in the stretch to prevail by just a head over the improbable maiden runner. The tiring muddy track produced a slow time of 1:52.92 for the mile and an eighth, but Outwork's previous second-place finish in a fast running of the Grade 2 Tampa Derby leave little doubt that the colt will be well-regarded heading into the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby. Trained by Todd Pletcher, Outwork earned his first Grade 1 win while topping a $2 exacta worth $319.50. Adventist flew late for third to round out a $2 trifecta that returned $1,955. Outwork, who was defeated in the Tampa Derby by stablemate Destin, give Todd Pletcher a powerful 1-2 punch in the Kentucky Derby - a race where the trainer has struggled throughout the years despite a large number of high profile starters.
2016 Order of Finish: Win Place Show
1st: Outwork $6.80 $4.80 $3.90
2nd: Trojan Nation $40.60 $13.40
3rd: Adventist $4.90
Check back closer to race day for 2017 Wood Memorial contenders!
Did you know?
Among the more recent winners of the Wood Memorial – Kentucky Derby double are Triple Crown winner Seattle Slew (1977), Pleasant Colony (1981), Easy Goer (1989) and Fusaichi Pegasus (2000).
In addition to Wood Memorial winners who went on to claim the Derby, several others who finished in the top three have won the Run for the Roses, further establishing the fact that a solid race in the Wood is a good indication of a horse being ready to run its’ best on the first Saturday in May. Among these are Secretariat (3rd, 1973), Genuine Risk (3rd, 1980), Monarchos (2nd, 2001), and Funny Cide (2nd, 2003). Genuine Risk became only the second filly to win the Kentucky Derby, after Regret in 1915. She just missed becoming the only filly to ever win the Triple Crown, finishing second in both the Preakness and Belmont Stakes.