Eight out to capture the Wood

Going Wild scored his last win in the Sham (Michael J. Marten/Horsephotos.com) BELLAMY ROAD (Concerto), a 15 3/4-length winner of his seasonal bow, and Sham S. hero GOING WILD (Golden Missile) highlight a field of eight entered for Saturday’s $750,000 Wood Memorial S. (G1) at Aqueduct. The 81st running of the 1 1/8-mile test, which has produced three of the last five Kentucky Derby (G1) winners, also includes Gotham S. (G3) winner SURVIVALIST (Danzig) and GALLOPING GROCER (A. P Jet). Nick Zito trains the 2-1 favorite, Bellamy Road, who captured the Cradle S. (G3) at River Downs last September under the guidance of Michael Dickinson and went to the sidelines following an unplaced finish as the favorite in the Breeders’ Futurity (G1). The dark bay colt returned with a strong performance on March 12 at Gulfstream Park, crushing his rivals on the front end in a one-mile allowance, and Bellamy Road will make his second appearance in 2005 on Saturday. Going Wild, the 5-2 second choice on the morning line, broke his maiden in late December at Santa Anita and then reeled off victories in the San Miguel S. and Sham S. for conditioner D. Wayne Lukas. He exits a solid runner-up effort to Declan’s Moon (Malibu Moon) in the Santa Catalina S. (G2). Survivalist captured his stakes debut in the one-mile Gotham and looms as a late-running threat in his first start around two turns in the Wood. Galloping Grocer finished a good second to Rockport Harbor (Unbridled’s Song) in last year’s Remsen S. (G2) and was moved up to second via disqualification in the Gotham most recently. The gelding will likely show speed under Mike Luzzi. PAVO (Marquetry), who was disqualified from a narrow second-place finish in the Gotham, merits respect considering that his previous rider rode the last portion of that race without his irons. The Jennifer Pedersen trainee gets a rider switch to Jerry Bailey.

The complete Wood field, in post order with riders and morning line odds, is
SCRAPPY T (Fit to Fight), Rafael Bejarano, 15-1; BYANOSEJOE (Cherokee Run), Jose
Santos, 12-1; Bellamy Road, Javier Castellano; Survivalist, Richard Migliore,
5-1; Going Wild, Victor Espinoza; Pavo, 8-1; Galloping Grocer, 6-1; and NAUGHTY
NEW YORKER (Quiet American), Jean-Luc Samyn, 10-1.

All runners will carry 123 pounds.

The Carter H. (G1) heads a strong undercard at the Big A. Six sprinters will
square off in the seven-furlong heat, including Grade 3 winner FOREST DANGER
(Forestry), who exits a superb victory at Gulfstream Park for trainer Todd
Pletcher; Grade 2 hero MEDALLIST (Touch Gold), winner of the Deputy Minister H.
(G3) in his seasonal bow; and the speedy DON SIX (Wild Escapade), who
missed by only a nose in the seven-furlong General George H. (G2) most recently.

From the rail, the Carter entrants are UNFORGETTABLE MAX (Northern Afleet),
Victor Espinoza, 114; PRIMARY SUSPECT (Hennessy), Pablo Fragoso, 114; MASS MEDIA
(Touch Gold), Castellano, 116; Medallist, Santos, 117; Don Six, Luzzi, 116; and
Forest Danger, Bejarano, 117.

The unbeaten LOST IN THE FOG (Lost Soldier) figures to be the prohibitive
favorite in the seven-furlong Bay Shore S. (G3). An easy 4 3/4-length winner of
the Swale S. (G2) in his last start, the Greg Gilchrist-trained sophomore has
dominated all four of his career attempts and will spot seven pounds to all six
challengers on Saturday.

Jockey Russell Baze comes from Northern California to ride Lost in the Fog,
who will break from the rail as the 123-pound highweight. To his outside in the
starting gate are BIG TOP CAT (Storm Cat), Victor Espinoza; BENJAMIN BABY
(Forest Wildcat), Migliore; WHITE SOCKS (Belong to Me), Castellano; SOLDIERS
CHARGE (Lost Soldier), Aaron Gryder; LIEUTENANT DANZ (Gold Fever), Jose
Espinoza; and ATTILA’S STORM (Forest Wildcat), Bejarano.