Wood Memorial Preview: Wide Open Field Takes Aim at Kentucky Derby

The 95th running of the Wood Memorial Stakes (G2) is set to go this Saturday at Aqueduct. A field of 11 will contest this year's running. The top four finishers will receive 100-40-20-10 Derby points. Withers Stake winner Tax is one of them. It will be his third start going 1 1/8 miles. He will break from the rail with jockey Junior Alvarado aboard. Haikal will also be racing from post 4. His trainer believes he can get this distance without much problem. Tacitus is the other horse to watch out for. He is trained by Tapit and out of a mare Close Hatches.

Tacitus won the Tampa Bay Derby. Outshine finished second. Trainer Todd Pletcher has been hot lately on the Kentucky Derby Trail.  Outshine has a big shot here.

Hoffa's Union won a maiden special weight by 15 1/2 lengths at Laurel Park. Tacitus won the Tampa Bay Derby last time out. Final Jeopardy is two for three in his young career. Jason Servis won Florida Derby with Maximum Security last week.  Wood Memorial Preview: Wide Open Field Takes Aim at Kentucky Derby. The race starts at 7:30. It's a big race. There are a lot of horses to bet on.

Tax is a good bet, but he's not a sure about winning the Withers Stakes (G3). Haikal won the Gotham Stake ( G2), but it's possible he could only be a one-turn type of horse. Wood Memorial Preview: Wide Open Field Takes Aim at Kentucky Derby.

Party Crashers finished second in the Pasco Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs. Overdeliver is a horse trained by Todd Pletcher.

Grumps Little Tots is a horse that won his first race last time out. He will try to break his maiden and then jump right on the Kentucky Derby Trail.

Math Wizard won the Florida Derby last week. Joevia has two second place efforts in the Wood Memorial. He is being given a chance to make it to the Kentucky Derby.