Rodriguez realized all of his potential at a highly opportune time and cruised to a front-running 3 1/2-length victory over runner up Grande in the 100th edition of the $750,000 Grade 2 Wood Memorial Stakes presented by Resorts World Casino April 5 at Aqueduct Racetrack. The win secured him a spot in the field for the Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve May 3 at Churchill Downs.

"We're looking for horses who can win the Kentucky Derby and that was pretty awesome. Very impressive," said Hall of Famer Bob Baffert by phone from California. "This is what we have been looking for from him."

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Rodriguez picked up 100 Kentucky Derby qualifying points and is safely in the field with 121.25 points.

"When they start going a mile and an eighth, that's when they separate themselves and that's what he did," said Baffert, who will be returning to the opening leg of the Triple Crown for the first time since 2021. "It was serious time and I'm pretty excited about it."

The final time of 1:48.15 for the 1 1/8-mile race was the second fastest Wood Memorial since 2006 behind only Mo Donegal's 1:47.96 in 2022.

The Wood Memorial also vaulted Grande into the Run for the Roses field. His second-place finish accounted for 50 qualifying points. Judging by past history, that should be enough to crack the Kentucky Derby field of 20. It was just the third career start and stakes debut for Grande. He lost ground five wide on the first turn and rallied from seventh in the field of 10 to gain the place by 1 3/4 lengths over third-place Passion Rules (25 points). Passion Rules' jockey, Kendrick Carmouche, had won his 4,000th career race earlier in the card.

"It was a solid effort," trainer Todd Pletcher said about Grande, who was 2-for-2 with allowance optional claimer and maiden wins. "We didn't get a good trip going into the first turn. He had to check on heels and advanced down the backstretch while well out in the track and stayed on gamely. I thought it was a good performance for his third start. We went the farthest distance for sure."

Mike Smith aboard Rodriguez. (Eclipse Sportswire)

Withers Stakes winner Captain Cook was a disappointing fourth as the 9-5 favorite after chasing Rodriguez early. With at least 40 points needed to have a realistic shot at running in the Kentucky Derby, he picked up 15 points and has only 35.

"He was outrun," trainer Rick Dutrow Jr. said. "It looked like he had dead aim on everything the whole way and it didn't work out."

Rodriguez was never worse than third in four career starts prior to the Wood Memorial. He was second to 2-year-old champion male and stablemate Citizen Bull in the Grade 3 Robert B. Lewis Stakes and most recently third behind Journalism in the Grade 2 DK Horse San Felipe Stakes, both at Santa Anita Park.

Breaking from the rail under Mike Smith, Rodriguez shot out for the lead in the Wood and led by about a length over Captain Cook through fractions of :23.31 and :47.44. Captain Cook chased in second until the top of the stretch when second choice Rodriguez ($9.30) surged to a four-length lead in mid-stretch. Grande and Passion Rules passed the tiring favorite.

Rodriguez completed his final furlong in a brisk :12.47.

"I took the blinkers off him, and he relaxed," Baffert said. "He warmed up nice, and Mike did a fantastic job with him. That's the perfect kind of horse for him. He gets those kind of horses to relax really well."