The $750,000, Grade 2 Wood Memorial Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets serves as the signature race of the winter/spring meeting at Aqueduct and a key final prep race for the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve.

There are 170 points toward qualifying for the Kentucky Derby on the line with 100 going to the winner and 40 points to the runner-up, essentially guaranteeing a place in the Derby starting gate for top two finishers.

The last Wood Memorial Stakes winner to win the Kentucky Derby was Fusaichi Pegasus in 2000, but 2003 runner-up Funny Cide went on to win both the Kentucky Derby and Preakness before losing his Triple Crown bid to that year’s Wood Memorial Stakes winner, Empire Maker.

Let’s take a closer look at the field for this year’s 1 1/8-mile race:

1. Heartfullofstars (20-1 morning-line odds)

Jockey: Dylan Davis

Trainer: Philip D’Amato

Owners: Agave Racing Stable, Little Red Feather Racing, Bran Jam Stable, and D. Clark

Career record: 5 starts – 1 win – 2 seconds – 1 third

Career earnings: $61,010

Earnings per start: $12,202

Top Equibase Speed Figure: 102

Pedigree: Astrology – Nothing But Heart, by Officer

Color: Dark Bay or Brown

Running style: Stalker

Notable achievements and interesting facts: After finishing second twice and third once in his first four races, Heartfullofstars scored a breakthrough win in a one-mile race on a sloppy track on March 3 at Santa Anita Park. He makes his stakes debut in the Wood Memorial, shipping from the West Coast to New York for a shot at qualifying for the Kentucky Derby. He would need a top-two finish to earn a spot in the 2018 Kentucky Derby, and while he has been consistent, that is a tall order for Heartfullofstars’ stakes debut.

Adam Coglianese/NYRA

2. Firenze Fire (6-1)

Jockey: Manny Franco

Trainer: Jason Servis

Owner: Mr. Amore Stable

Career record: 8 starts – 4 wins – 1 second – 0 thirds

Career earnings: $604,100

Earnings per start: $75,513

Top Equibase Speed Figure: 98

Pedigree: Poseidon’s Warrior – My Every Wish, by Langfuhr

Color: Bay

Running style: Stalker/Closer

Notable achievements and interesting facts: After winning the one-mile Jerome Stakes and running second in the Grade 3 Withers Stakes, Firenze Fire took a step in the wrong direction when fourth, beaten 9 ¼ lengths by Enticed, in the Grade 3 Gotham Stakes. A Grade 1 winner at two, you have to respect his résumé, but there do seem to be some distance limitations with this Poseidon’s Warrior colt that could become more pronounced when testing 1 1/8 miles for the first time in the Wood Memorial. From a speed-figure perspective, he would need to take a significant step forward to compete for the win.

Susie Raisher/NYRA Photo

3. Evaluator (20-1)

Jockey: Kendrick Carmouche

Trainer: Michael Dilger

Owner: R and H Stable

Career record: 5 starts – 2 wins – 1 second – 0 thirds

Career earnings: $215,634

Earnings per start: $43,127

Top Equibase Speed Figure: 88

Pedigree: Overanalyze – Show Me the Carats, by More Than Ready

Color: Chestnut

Running style: Closer

Notable achievements and interesting facts: Evaluator has run pretty well in New York-bred stakes in his previous two races: winning the Sleepy Hollow Stakes in October 2017 before running second by a nose in the Damon Runyon Stakes on Jan. 15. Now, his connections are taking a shot to see if he’s a viable candidate for the Triple Crown trail. The chestnut colt, who made his first three starts on grass, enters the Wood Memorial off a 3 ½-month layoff and will be facing the toughest competition, by far, in his career. He would benefit greatly as a deep closer from a swift early pace to set up his finishing kick, but the speed figures seem to indicate that a third- or fourth-place finish might be his ceiling.

Robert Mauhar/NYRA photo

4. Old Time Revival (6-1)

Jockey: Jeremy Rose

Trainer: Kenneth Decker

Owner: Fred Brei

Career record: 6 starts – 1 wins – 2 seconds – 1 third

Career earnings: $108,400

Earnings per start: $18,067

Top Equibase Speed Figure: 108

Pedigree: Brethren – Diary, by Congaree

Color: Dark Bay or Brown

Running style: Pacesetter

Notable achievements and interesting facts: Old Time Revival snuck into the exacta at 35.50-1 odds in the Grade 3 Gotham Stakes when he set the pace and battled on gamely in the stretch. Beaten by 2 ¾ lengths by winner Enticed, Old Time Revival earned a new career-top 108 Equibase Speed Figure, a 15-point jump from his previous best. He’d shown ability in his previous race when second in the Miracle Wood Stakes at Laurel Park, but the Gotham was a true class test. The key question for Old Time Revival is, was the Gotham a race he can build off of or was it a taxing, career-best race that took something out of him? He’ll need to move forward to win the Wood Memorial, while even a small step backward would eliminate his chances for a victory. From the first crop of 2011 Sam F. Davis Stakes winner Brethren, Old Time Revival is out of the winning Congaree mare Diary, a half-sister (same dam [mother], different sire [father]) to 2010 champion 2-year-old filly Awesome Feather.

Chelsea Durand/NYRA photo

5. Enticed (6-5)

Jockey: Junior Alvarado

Trainer: Kiaran McLaughlin

Owner: Godolphin

Career record: 5 starts – 3 wins – 0 seconds – 1 third

Career earnings: $410,680

Earnings per start: $82,136

Top Equibase Speed Figure: 113

Pedigree: Medaglia d’Oro – It’s Tricky, by Mineshaft

Color: Dark Bay or Brown

Running style: Stalker

Notable achievements and interesting facts: By Medaglia d’Oro out of three-time Grade 1 winner It’s Tricky, Enticed is bred to run all day with superstar potential. Enticed rebounded from a disappointing start in the Grade 2 Holy Bull Stakes by winning the Grade 3 Gotham Stakes, a one-turn mile race at Aqueduct, by 2 ¾ lengths on March 10. That effort looked more like the Enticed who won the Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes at two, a race that has produced subsequent Derby trail winners Promises Fulfilled, Reride, Quip, and Bravazo. As good as Enticed looked in winning the Gotham, on paper the final quarter-mile in about 26 seconds is not nearly as encouraging. He looks like a formidable favorite for trainer Kiaran McLaughlin, who won the Wood Memorial in 2015 with Frosted, but by no stretch is Enticed unbeatable.

6. Catch Twenty Two (50-1)

Jockey: Luis Reyes

Trainer: Naipaul Chatterpaul

Owner: E.V. Racing Stable

Career record: 2 starts – 1 win – 0 seconds – 0 thirds

Career earnings: $27,600

Earnings per start: $13,800

Top Equibase Speed Figure: 71

Pedigree: Super Saver – Starstream, by Awesome Again

Color: Bay

Running style: Closer

Notable achievements and interesting facts: A half-brother (same dam [mother], different sire [father]) to multiple graded stakes winner Tommy Macho, Catch Twenty Two won a maiden claiming race by 3 ¾ lengths at Aqueduct on Dec. 17 in his career debut and was claimed for $50,000 by his current connections. He clipped heels and unseated his rider while rallying in his second start on March 9. With a top Equibase Speed Figure of 71 and limited racing experience, Catch Twenty Two looks overmatched here making his third career start in a Grade 2 race for Kentucky Derby hopefuls.

King Zachary (Leslie Martin/Coglianese photo)

7. King Zachary (20-1)

Jockey: Robby Albarado

Trainer: Dale Romans

Owner: Thomas Conway

Career record: 3 starts – 1 win – 0 seconds – 2 thirds

Career earnings: $38,670

Earnings per start: $12,890

Top Equibase Speed Figure: 96

Pedigree: Curlin – On My Way, by Giant’s Causeway 

Color: Chestnut

Running style: Press the pace

Notable achievements and interesting facts: Purchased for $550,000 at the 2016 Keeneland September yearling sale, King Zachary ran third in his first two starts sprinting before taking a significant step forward in his third start when racing around two turns for the first time. He drew off to win a 1 1/16-mile maiden special weight race by 7 ¾ lengths at Gulfstream Park on March 18, earning a career-best 96 Equibase Speed Figure and flashing a new dimension by racing closer to the pace. If you are looking for a 3-year-old with some significant upside, King Zachary might be the colt for you. Jockey Robby Albarado and trainer Dale Romans both are seeking their first win in the Wood Memorial.

8. Restoring Hope (4-1)

Jockey: Flavien Prat

Trainer: Bob Baffert

Owners: Gary and Mary West

Career record: 3 starts – 1 win – 1 second – 1 third

Career earnings: $46,880

Earnings per start: $15,627

Top Equibase Speed Figure: 108

Pedigree: Giant’s Causeway – Symbol of Freedom, by Tapit

Color: Dark Bay or Brown

Running style: Press the pace

Notable achievements and interesting facts: Restoring Hope finished second to eventual Sham Stakes runner-up All Out Blitz in his debut before finishing third in a race won by future Sunland Derby third-place finisher Peace. He won his 3-year-old debut on Feb. 2 at Santa Anita Park by 3 ½ lengths, earning a 108 Equibase Speed Figure. Restoring Hope initially was pointed by Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert to the Sunland Derby but did not make the field and was rerouted to the Wood Memorial. With no qualifying points yet for the Kentucky Derby, this Giant’s Causeway colt would need a top-two finish to lock up a spot in the starting gate for the Kentucky Derby. Baffert won the Wood Memorial in 2006 with Bob and John and in 2001 with Congaree.

Eclipse Sportswire

9. Vino Rosso (9-2)

Jockey: John Velazquez

Trainer: Todd Pletcher

Owners: Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable

Career record: 4 starts – 2 wins – 0 seconds – 1 third

Career earnings: $85,500

Earnings per start: $21,375

Top Equibase Speed Figure: 104

Pedigree: Curlin – Mythical Bride, by Street Cry

Color: Chestnut

Running style: Stalker

Notable achievements and interesting facts: A $410,000 purchase at the 2016 Keeneland September yearling sale, Vino Rosso opened his career with a pair of clear victories to close his 2-year-old season. He then generated significant buzz when rallying for third in the Grade 3 Sam F. Davis Stakes on Feb. 1 thanks to a powerful gallop out past the finish line and a new career-best 104 Equibase Speed Figure. He was unable to duplicate that effort in the Grade 2 Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby when he turned in a dull effort and finished fourth, beaten by six lengths. By Curlin out of a half-sister (same dam [mother], different sire [father]) to multiple graded stakes winner Commissioner and 2013 Breeders’ Cup Sprint runner-up Laugh Track, the talent is evident with Vino Rosso, but the key question is: can he bounce back from a subpar effort in the toughest test of his career to date? Trainer Todd Pletcher has won four of the last eight editions of the Wood Memorial.