Making Money Betting Exactas and Trifectas in 2025 Wood Memorial

April 1st, 2025 by J. Keeler Johnson

Aqueduct, Wood Memorial Stakes, Kentucky Derby, Triple Crown, America's Best Racing, horse racing, ABR

The field for the 2023 Wood Memorial Stakes, won by No. 8 Lord Miles on the outside from off the pace, turns into the stretch at Aqueduct. (Eclipse Sportswire)

There’s quite a bit of pace entered in Saturday’s $750,000, Grade 2 Wood Memorial Stakes Presented by Resorts World Casino at Aqueduct. The 1 1/8-mile Road to the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve qualifier has drawn a dozen horses (though #6 Hill Road and #9 Bear Claw Necklace are expected to scratch), and half of the entrants have shown a tendency to race on or near the lead.

The pace group includes #1 Rodriguez, who has secured top-three finishes against tough competition in the Grade 2 DK Horse San Felipe Stakes and Grade 3 Robert B. Lewis Stakes in California; #2 Captain Cook, who pounced from just off the lead to win the 1 1/8-mile Withers Stakes at Aqueduct two months ago; #3 Tiger Twenty Four, a recent five-length maiden winner shipping north from Florida; #5 Sand Devil, who won his first three starts before finishing second in Aqueduct’s one-mile Gotham Stakes; and #7 Grande, who is undefeated in two starts against easier competition in Florida.

All five of the above-named horses are serious contenders, but if a few of them rush forward and duel through hot pace fractions, that could prove problematic. Of the five, Grande appears best-positioned to avoid a speed duel and close successfully from just off the pace.

Trained by Todd Pletcher, who has won the Wood Memorial seven times since 2010, Grande exits a sharp victory in a $75,000 allowance optional claimer racing 1 1/8 miles at Gulfstream Park. On that occasion, he settled one length off the early lead before gradually advancing to win by 2 ½ lengths.

Since Grande has drawn outside of his other primary pace rivals, jockey Dylan Davis can take time to size up how the race is unfolding, rating Grande off the lead if the pace is hot and sending him forward if the pace is unexpectedly slow.

That’s not as much of an option for Captain Cook, who likewise appears capable of rating off the pace. Since Captain Cook has drawn post two — with speed horses to his inside and outside — he risks getting buried in traffic if he doesn’t aggressively pursue the early lead.

As a result, Grande is our top choice to win the Wood Memorial. We suggest betting him on top of exacta and trifecta tickets using Rodriguez, Captain Cook, Sand Devil, Tiger Twenty Four, and #11 Statesman underneath.

Wagering Strategy on a $12 Budget

$4 exacta: 7 with 1,2,5 (total cost: $12)

What to say at the betting window: Aqueduct, 12th race, $4 exacta 7 with 1,2,5

Wagering Strategy on a $30 Budget

$6 exacta: 7 with 1,2,5 (total cost: $18)

What to say at the betting window: Aqueduct, 12th race, $6 exacta 7 with 1,2,5

$1 trifecta: 7 with 1,2,5 with 1,2,3,5,11 (total cost: $12)

What to say at the betting window: Aqueduct, 12th race, $1 trifecta 7 with 1,2,5 with 1,2,3,5,11

Good luck, and enjoy the race!