The path to the first Saturday in May runs through New York on Saturday for Aqueduct’s Grade 2 $750,000 Wood Memorial. Six different Kentucky Derby-winning trainers are represented in the dozen entries. The Kentucky Derby prep offers points on a 100-50-25-15-10 basis.

The Wood Memorial includes a $10 money-back special from 1/ST BET and Xpressbet. Get up to $10 back if your win bet finishes second or third.

Let’s meet the contenders for the Wood Memorial (Race 12):

#1-RODRIGUEZ: Second in the Lewis Memorial and third in the San Felipe, this son of Kentucky Derby winner Authentic bypasses the Santa Anita Derby in favor of this eastern trek. Chased stablemates Citizen Bull and Barnes out west, who are expected to contest the SA Derby. Bob Baffert’s Wood Memorial victories came with Congaree (2001) and Bob and John (2006). Mike Smith’s 3 Wood wins came in the 1990s with Thirty Six Red, Devil His Due and Unbridled’s Song. Removes blinkers for the first time Saturday.

#2-CAPTAIN COOK (pictured): Withers winner is 2-for-2 since moving to Rick Dutrow’s barn after being sold in a November dispersal sale. Practical Joke colt reunites with jockey Manny Franco, who guided favored Sovereignty to a runner-up in last week’s Florida Derby at Gulfstream. Since the Withers was moved to the winter, it’s winner has yet to add the Wood Memorial – Hit Show and Early Voting were second in the 2023 and 2022 Wood editions in such bids.

#3-TIGER TWENTY FOUR: Stakes debut for third-start Gulfstream Park maiden breaker. Trainer Bill Mott saddled last year’s Wood winner Resilience as well as Tacitus in 2019. Javier Castellano won the Wood with Gemologist (2012) and Bellamy Road (2005), the latter by 17-1/2 lengths.

#4-MY MITOLE: Blinkers go on the Gotham fourth-place finisher who has raced exclusively at Aqueduct through 5 starts. Carlos Martin gives the call once again to Luis Rivera Jr., the only jockey this son of champion sprinter Mitole has ever known.

#5-SAND DEVIL: New York-bred saw his perfect streak snapped at 3 when finishing second as the favorite in the Gotham. The Wood will be his first start around 2 turns and first beyond 1 mile. Linda Rice trains the Violence colt, who has been ridden by Jose Lezcano in each start. His Gotham conqueror Flood Zone returns earlier Saturday morning, US time, in the UAE Derby in Dubai.

#6-HILL ROAD: Breeders’ Cup Juvenile and Tampa Bay Derby third-place finisher seeks his first domestic win after starting his career with Adrian Murray in Ireland. Chad Brown separates him with fellow TB Derby alum Chancer McPatrick for the final round of preps as that one heads to the Blue Grass at Keeneland. Brown said the late runner was a workout short going into his 3-year-old return. Joel Rosario won the 2022 Wood aboard eventual Belmont Stakes winner Mo Donegal.

#7-GRANDE: Trainer Todd Pletcher has 7 Wood Memorial wins and can tie Sunny Jim Fitzsimmons’ record of 8 with his next. Undefeated Curlin colt has notched Gulfstream maiden and allowance wins by identical 2-1/2 length margins. The Wood will be his first stakes test, though he’s already won the 1-1/8 miles trip. His GP allowance pursuers returned to finish out of the money in last week’s Florida Derby. Dylan Davis rides in replacement on John Velazquez, who is slated to ride in Dubai on Saturday.

#8-PASSION RULES: Trainer Brad Cox was second in the 2023 Wood with favored Hit Show and now comes off back-to-back Kentucky Derby 100-point prep wins in the Jeff Ruby (Final Gambit) and Florida Derby (Tappan Street). Unbeaten $40,000 Friesan Fire bargain buy makes his stakes debut after running off 3 wins between Fair Grounds and Oaklawn. Kendrick Carmouche rides for the first time.

#9-BEAR CLAW NECKLACE: Trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. upset the 2023 Wood Memorial with 59-1 upsetter Lord Miles. This colt by Lord Nelson (no relation) also figures to be a longshot with a 1-for-3 record at Gulfstream Park in 1-turn races. Rajiv Maragh takes the mount in search of a third Wood score (2014 Wicked Strong, 2017 Irish War Cry).

#10-McAFEE: Kid brother to 2024 Horse of the Year and Kentucky Oaks heroine Thorpedo Anna finished fifth in the Gotham last out. He’s won 1-for-3, all in 1-turn races, and is the longer shot of an uncoupled Rick Dutrow-trained entry on Saturday. Eric Cancel rides for the first time on this son of Preakness winner Cloud Computing, who finished third in the 2017 Wood.

#11-STATESMAN: Improving son of Constitution has won 2 straight since beginning his career 0-for-3 and now gets a stakes test for the first time. Tampa-based jockey Samuel Marin makes the trip north. Trainer Shug McGaughey won the 1989 Wood with Easy Goer and the 1998 version with Coronado’s Quest.

#12-OMAHA OMAHA: Busy colt has placed in the Jerome and Withers locally this year as well as the Virginia Derby on the road at Colonial Downs most recently. Mike Gorham trains the late-running son of Audible and regular jockey Raul Mena.