Flashback: 6 Triple Crown winners from the Wood Memorial

It’s been nearly 20 years since Funny Cide (2003) became the last Grade 2 Wood Memorial starter to win the Kentucky Derby, parlaying a runner-up effort in Aqueduct’s signature Derby prep race into an upset victory on the first Saturday in May.

But although the Wood Memorial has been going through a dry spell, it’s historically ranked as one of the most important steppingstones to the Kentucky Derby. In fact, six of the 13 Triple Crown winners used the Wood Memorial as a springboard to Churchill Downs.

Let’s recall the Wood Memorial exploits of these six racing legends:

Gallant Fox (1930)

Gallant Fox was far from a standout 2-year-old. He did show talent, winning multiple stakes and placing third in the prestigious Futurity, but he wasn’t considered the division leader.

All that changed when Gallant Fox returned from a seven-month winter break in the spring of 1930. He kicked off his sophomore season in the sixth renewal of the Wood Memorial, held at the time over one mile and 70 yards at Jamaica Race Course. Favored at 8-5 while facing four rivals, Gallant Fox swept from mid-field to win by four lengths, demonstrating the dominant form that would carry him to a Triple Crown sweep during the ensuing weeks.

Omaha (1935)

Five years after Gallant Fox swept the Triple Crown, his son Omaha arrived at Jamaica to give the Wood Memorial a try. Victory wasn’t necessarily expected; Omaha brought a largely uninspiring 2-for-10 record into his final Kentucky Derby prep, having achieved his two victories against allowance company. And indeed, Omaha failed to win the Wood Memorial; he unleashed a big rally too late in the race and settled for third place by two lengths.

But the Wood Memorial marked a step in the right direction for Omaha, and stretching out over longer distances in the spring classics helped carry the stretch-running chestnut through a Triple Crown sweep.

Count Fleet (1943)

In contrast to Gallant Fox, the brilliant Count Fleet was the reigning champion 2-year-old male when he started as the 1-4 favorite in the 1 1/16-mile Wood Memorial. Seven rivals showed up to challenge Count Fleet, including future Kentucky Derby runner-up Blue Swords. But Count Fleet left no doubt about his superiority, leading by daylight at every call to win by 3 1/2 lengths. Count Fleet’s Wood Memorial victory came just four days after he kicked off his 3-year-old season with an allowance win at Jamaica.

The only drama stemmed from the fact that Count Fleet suffered a significant cut to his leg during the race, threatening his participation in the Kentucky Derby. Fortunately, Count Fleet was able to compete on the first Saturday in May, and the rest is history.

Assault (1946)

For Gallant Fox, Omaha and Count Fleet, the Wood Memorial marked their final start before the Triple Crown. But Assault took a different approach. After starting his sophomore season with an upset victory in Jamaica’s six-furlong Experimental Free Handicap No. 1 on April 9, Assault came back on April 20 to spring another surprise in the Wood Memorial, scoring by 2 1/4 lengths at odds of 8-1.

Despite the Wood Memorial’s close proximity to the Kentucky Derby, Assault managed to pack in another prep race, finishing a rally fourth over a muddy track in the April 30 Derby Trial at Churchill Downs. Four days later, he bounced back to peak form in the Kentucky Derby, winning by a record-equaling eight lengths to begin his successful Triple Crown bid.

Secretariat (1973)

The Wood Memorial lengthened to 1 1/8 miles in 1952 and transitioned to Aqueduct in 1960, which means the race has existed in its current form for more than six decades.

The first Triple Crown winner to contest an Aqueduct Wood Memorial was the legendary Secretariat, and the outcome wasn’t as expected. The great chestnut was supposed to prevail after dominating the Bay Shore (G3) and Gotham (G2) at Aqueduct, but Secretariat failed to bring his A game in his final Kentucky Derby prep, closing ground only mildly to finish third by four lengths against Angle Light and Sham.

A mouth abscess might have been to blame, for Secretariat readily bounced back to defeat Angle Light and Sham in a record-breaking Kentucky Derby run.

Seattle Slew (1977)

The most recent Triple Crown winner to contest the Wood Memorial was the brilliant speedster Seattle Slew. Fresh off winning an allowance and the Flamingo (G1) at Hialeah Park, Seattle Slew started as the 1-10 Wood Memorial favorite and led all the way to win by 3 1/4 lengths.

The caliber of competition in the Wood Memorial was solid; runner-up Sanhedrin returned to finish third behind Seattle Slew in both the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes. The ease of Seattle Slew’s Wood Memorial victory can be attributed not to facing easy competition, but to Seattle Slew’s abundant talent, which he showcased again and again during his Triple Crown sweep.