Ky. Derby prep: Bear Claw Necklace will be scratched from Wood

Bear Claw Necklace, the longest shot on the morning line for Saturday's Grade 2 Wood Memorial at Aqueduct, will be scratched from the Kentucky Derby 2025 points prep.

Keith McCalmont, director of communications for the New York Racing Association, said in an X post that trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. likely will target an allowance race for the Lord Nelson colt.

Owned by Peachtree Stable and Stefania Farms, Bear Claw Necklace is 1-for-3. He broke his maiden in December on his second try and returned March 9 to finish third in an optional-claiming allowance. All his starts were at Gulfstream Park.

Bear Claw Necklace is the second horse to scratch from the Wood after Hill Road was reported Thursday to have spiked a fever and will miss the race.

The Wood offers 100-50-25-15-10 Kentucky Derby qualifying points to the top five finishers. Rodriguez, trained by Bob Baffert is the morning-line favorite at 5-2, followed by Withers winner Captain Cook, trained by Rick Dutrow, at 7-2. Bear Claw Necklace was 50-1 on the morning line.