Wood Memorial BRIS Speed Rating Report

Eleven sophomores will contest Saturday’s $1 million Wood Memorial (G2) at Aqueduct, one of seven major final prep races for the May 4 Kentucky Derby. Before we analyze the BRIS Speed ratings for this year’s Wood Memorial field, let’s take review the numbers for the previous 10 winners. Here are the BRIS Speed ratings for Wood Memorial winners entering the race:

Horse		BRIS Speed
Vino Rosso		91
		100
Irish War Cry		76
		102
Outwork		96
		89
Frosted		89
		98
Wicked Strong		89
		80
Verrazano		100
		104
Gemologist		97
		94
Toby’s Corner		90
		103
Eskendereya		103
		99
I Want Revenge		113
		95

Analysis: Five brought declining BRIS Speed ratings into the race. Irish War Cry (26), Toby’s Corner (13), Frosted (9) and Vino Rosso (9) showed at least a nine-point decrease in the last start. Four of the last five didn’t post a triple-digit BRIS Speed rating in the previous two starts. Three of the last five – Irish War Cry (76), Frosted (89) and Wicked Strong (89) – didn’t reach 90 in the last start. Nine registered at least an 89 BRIS Speed rating last out (Irish War Cry lone exception). Only Verrazano (100-104) recorded a pair of triple-digit BRIS Speed ratings. Here are the last two BRIS Speed ratings for this year’s field (listed in post order):

Horse		BRIS Speed
Tax		102
		103
Tacitus		95
		85
Hoffa’s Union		97
		n/a
Haikal		102
		99
Final Jeopardy		95
		89
Overdeliver		91
		93
Not That Brady		9
		101
Grumps Little Tots		91
		88
Math Wizard		89
		96
Outshine		93
		94
Joevia		91
		99

Analysis: Tax stands alone with 102-103 BRIS Speed ratings in the last two starts. Haikal (102) and Not That Brady (101) are the only other horses to reach the triple-digit threshold. Hoffa’s Union faces a steep challenge with only one start but did net a 97 BRIS Speed rating that ranks as the third-best last-out number. Not That’s Brady was essentially eased last out (9 BRIS Speed rating), crossing the wire 74 lengths behind the winner. His 101 Speed figure two back stacks up well against in this year’s field. It’s a well-matched field from a BRIS Speed rating perspective, with only Grumps Little Tots (91-88) and Overdeliver (91-93) on the slow side from the last two preps. PHOTO: Tax and jockey Junior Alvarado win the Withers Stakes (G3) at Aqueduct on February 2, 2019 (c) Adam Coglianese Photography/Joe Labozzetta