Although Saturday’s $750,000, Grade 2 Wood Memorial Stakes Presented by Resorts World Casino is taking place at Aqueduct in New York, there’s a strong chance the 1 1/8-mile Road to the Kentucky Derby qualifier will be won by a horse shipping north from Florida.

From 2010-2025, only 41 out of 137 horses (30%) who competed in the Wood Memorial exited a race at Gulfstream Park or Tampa Bay Downs in Florida. Yet those Florida raiders won 11 out of 15 Wood Memorials (73%) during that timeframe, punching far above their weight.

Four of the 13 horses entered in the 2026 Wood Memorial last raced at Gulfstream or Tampa. Of the quartet, #9 Bravaro is the one we’re eager to bet.

Bravaro opened his career with back-to-back wins at Aqueduct in the fall of 2025. He won his debut sprinting in a maiden special weight race, then stretched out over one mile to take the Sleepy Hollow Stakes by 2 ½ lengths.

Bravaro subsequently went to Florida for the winter, and he competed well in a pair of Road to the Kentucky Derby qualifiers at Gulfstream Park. In the 1 1/16-mile Grade 3 Holy Bull Stakes, he chased a fast pace before staying on to finish second behind Nearly.

Then in the 1 1/16-mile, Grade 2 Coolmore Fountain of Youth Stakes, Bravaro got jostled around in traffic during the early stages of the race and wound up running in eighth place, much farther off the pace than usual. He seemed uncomfortable racing behind rivals, tossing his head around, but he eventually settled down and launched a rally to finish fourth behind Commandment and Chief Wallabee.

The form of Bravaro’s Florida performances held up well in last week’s Grade 1 Curlin Florida Derby Presented by Hill ‘n’ Dale Farms at Xalapa, in which Commandment, Chief Wallabee, and Nearly finished first, third, and fourth.

Bravaro should find the competition a bit easier while returning to Aqueduct for the Wood Memorial. Trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. won this race three years ago with Florida shipper Lord Miles, and Bravaro appears poised to repeat the feat, especially if he improves while wearing blinkers for the first time.

#13 Iron Honor, the unbeaten winner of Aqueduct’s Grade 3 Gotham Stakes, looks like the best of the local runners and is a logical horse to use in the exacta, which requires selecting the top two finishers in order.

Wagering Strategy on a $12 Budget

$8 to win on #9 Bravaro

What to say at the betting window: Aqueduct, 12th race, $8 to win on 9

$4 exacta: 9 with 13

What to say at the betting window: Aqueduct, 12th race, $4 exacta 9 with 13

Wagering Strategy on a $30 Budget

$20 to win on #9 Bravaro

What to say at the betting window: Aqueduct, 12th race, $20 to win on 9

$10 exacta: 9 with 13

What to say at the betting window: Aqueduct, 12th race, $10 exacta 9 with 13

Good luck, and enjoy the race!