Irish War Cry returns to top form in Wood Memorial
The Derby drought may be over for the Wood Memorial.
New York’s most important prep for the Kentucky
Derby was won last Saturday by Irish
War Cry,
who turned in one of the season’s top performances by a 3-year- old in search of the opening leg of the Triple Crown.
The last Wood Memorial winner to capture the Derby was Fusaichi Pegasus in 2000.
Irish War Cry, coming off a dismal last-place effort in the Fountain of Youth Stakes at Gulfstream Park that was his first career loss, had something to prove at Aqueduct.
Prior to the Fountain of Youth, on Mar. 4, he vaulted to the top of the Derby class with a powerful victory in the Holy Bull at Gulf-
stream, in which Eclipse Award champion Classic Empire finished third.
After the Fountain of Youth, trainer Graham Motion took Irish War Cry home to his barn at Fair Hill in Maryland, where he prepared for the Wood Memorial.
With new rider Rajiv Maragh aboard, Irish War Cry quickly moved into contention from his outside post, and then showed the patience necessary to get the mile and a quarter distance of the Derby.
Drawing off in the stretch to win by 3 ½ lengths, Irish War Cry sent his career earnings to $699,400 with four wins in five career starts.
He is in good hands with Motion, who won the Derby in 2011 with Animal Kingdom and who excels as a trainer of long distance runners.
Two other major final preps were run last weekend, the Santa Anita Derby and Blue Grass Stakes.
The Santa Anita Derby was won by Gormley, who proved best at the end of a contentious affair with 13 runners.
Gormley returned to his former position among the elite of the group, winning with a steady rally in the stretch while surrounded by challengers.
Like Irish War Cry, he was coming off a disappointing performance in his last, the San Felipe on Mar. 11 at Santa Anita.
Gormley sent his earnings to $920,000, with a record of 4- 0- 0 in 6 starts.
He has Grade 1 victories in the Frontrunner Stakes last fall and the Santa Anita Derby.
Gormley is trained by John Shirreffs, who sent out Giacomo to win the Kentucky Derby in 2005.
It is hard to know what to make of the Blue Grass, won by Irap at odds of 31to-1.
Irap, winless in seven career starts, was facing the unbeaten McCraken, who is at the top of most Derby polls, and Hopeful Stakes winner Practical Joke.
He took command at the top of the Keeneland stretch and held the rallying Practical Joke safe by a half-length, with McCraken finishing third.
Irap sent his earnings to $772,600 with the victory, with a record of 1-3-1 in 8 starts.
He is trained by Doug O’Neill, who has won the Kentucky Derby with I’ll Have Another (2012) and Nyquist (2016).
One final major prep remains on the calendar.
It is Saturday’s Arkansas Derby, in which Classic Empire is scheduled to return to action following his third in the aforementioned Holy Bull.
If he returns to his top form, he will join Irish War Cry and Gormley as promising youngsters who got back in the winner’s circle following disappointing losses.
A Derby scene that has been chaotic for several weeks may finally begin to take shape.