HORSE RACING NEWS & RESULTS

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The New York Racing Association's total handle on Saturday's Wood Memorial card at Aqueduct Racetrack jumped 7.4 percent from last year, to $19,096,631.54 from $17,780,231.50. The top stakes program included the Grade 1 Wood Memorial, the final major New York prep for the Kentucky Derby, which was won by Tale of Ekati in an upset of last year's two-year-old champion, War Pass. Also on the 11-race card were the Grade 1 Carter Handicap, the Grade 3 Excelsior Handicap and the Grade 3 Bay Shore Stakes.

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Trainer Barclay Tagg, fresh off his second consecutive victory in the Wood Memorial, said Tale of Ekati shipped well to Keeneland and was in outstanding shape after yesterday's win.

"He came with me last night and everything is right," said Tagg, who will now concentrate on Elysium Fields and Big Truck for this weekend's stakes offerings. "He's going into the Kentucky derby the right way. I'll probably work Elysium Fields and Big Truck on Tuesday. I'm still not sure if I am going to run both of them here in the Blue Grass or run one here and one in the Arkansas Derby (at Oaklawn Park).

"I will say this: I wouldn't trade my three for any others going into the Derby."

Tagg said that he was more impressed by Tale of Ekati's race as he reviewed the Wood Memorial later on.

"That other horse (Inner Light) maybe softened up War Pass, but he didn't soften him up for long," Tagg laughed. "War Pass hung in there very tough, and he was the horse I thought we had to beat. But Tale of Ekati was up close to that pace; he was a lot closer than I wanted him to be, that's for sure.

"But it all worked out. We knew he was a much better horse than he showed in Louisiana and he proved that in the Wood Memorial."

Tagg won the Wood Memorial in 2007 with Nobiz Like Shobiz. In 2003, Tagg trained Funny Cide, who was beaten a half-length in the Wood Memorial by Empire Maker. Funny Cide came back to win the Kentucky Derby and Preakness.

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Nothing has come easy to the New York-bred Bustin Stones.

Off the track, the colt has had to stage multiple comebacks after undergoing knee surgery. And on track, Bustin Stones has always been the target, the speed horse that never gets a breather, never gets anything his way from start to finish.

Yet, despite the adversity and stress-filled trips, Bustin Stones has remained perfect, winning all six starts. Yesterday, he became a Grade 1 winner with a typical, hard-fought half-length score over Executive Fleet in the $300,000 Carter Handicap at seven furlongs.

Now, Bustin Stones will be pointed to Belmont Park's Grade 1, $600,000 Metropolitan Handicap on May 26th. The "Met Mile" is New York's traditional Memorial Day feature.

"It's not going to be an easy spot, but we've got to look at the Met Mile with him," said trainer Bruce Levine, who also won Saturday's Excelsior here with Temporary Saint.

Over the years, Levine has become one of the East Coast's more respected trainers. In fact, he finished the recently concluded winter meet here at Aqueduct second in the standings with 52 wins from 206 starters. The Carter, however, was the first Grade 1 win of Levine's 29-year career. Moreover, Levine won it with a homebred of his longtime client and close friend, Roddy Valente.

"You couldn't write the script any better," Levine said.

As for Bustin Stones, he appears to have exited the Carter no worse for the wear.

"He looked good this morning," Levine said. "He didn't look tired or knocked out."

As for the much-improved Temporary Saint, a high-priced claim by owner Maggi Moss a few months ago, Levine says he would like to keep the horse racing around two turns. The Pimlico Special on May 16th could be the likeliest spot.

"I think his style fits that track pretty good," Levine said. "He was training great, but I thought the race yesterday was pretty tough. He showed us a lot winning it."

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Hall of Fame trainer Nick Zito said that two-year-old champion War Pass exited his runner-up finish in Saturday's Wood Memorial in good order and is on his way to Kentucky. The Robert LaPenta-owned colt set a pressured pace through fast fractions of :22 2/5 and :46 for the nine-furlong race over a "fast" but drying out track. He yielded late to Tale of Ekati and finished one-half length behind.

"It was the only big race that I finished second in that I appreciated it as a win," Zito said. "He ran as tough as he could and showed what kind of horse he is, especially the way the race shaped up."

The type of race War Pass ran in the Wood Memorial was exactly what he needed to get him ready for the Kentucky Derby May 3rd.

"Obviously this sets him up great for the Derby," said Zito. "He got nothing out of his race in Tampa, so he needed this."

After being bumped at the start of the Tampa Bay Derby, War Pass faded to last in the stretch.

"I really wanted to win another Wood Memorial," said Zito, who already has three victories in the Wood. "It's a special race because I grew up in New York near Aqueduct. Usually you get a break on big days with the track not being as heavy as it was yesterday, but that's not an excuse."

NYRA will begin taking wagers on Keeneland's Super High Five wager starting Wednesday, April 9.

The Super High Five requires picking the first five finishers, in order, on the final race each day. If there are no winners, the pool carries over to the next day's race card. The minimum wager is $1.

Patrons may wager on the Keeneland's Super High Five on track at teller windows and self-service terminals (initially, self-service terminals will display the wager as a "pentafecta") NYRA Rewards members have the added option of placing Super High Five bets by phone through the Telebet live-operator option. At this time, Super High Five wagering will not be available through NYRA Rewards Internet Wagering or the Telebet touchtone or voice-recognition options.

Eight betting interests must be carded for a race to offer the Super High Five, but the bet still would be offered if the field scratched down to seven betting interests.

The Santa Anita Super High Five will be offered beginning Thursday, April 10.

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Saturday's feature race will be the 59th running of the Grade 2, $150,000 Comely for three-year-old fillies at a mile.

Likely here are Goldmark Farm's Elusive Lady; Gold Square's Lady Chace, Darlene Bilinsko's Love Co, Dennis Narlinger's Ready for Fortune, Morris Bailey's Saki to Me and Susan Moore and M and M Thoroughbred Partners' Zaftig.

Winner of Aqueduct's Grade 3 Tempted last fall, Elusive Lady was runner-up here in the Grade 2 Demoiselle on November 24. She then suffered her worst defeat when she was steadied early in the Grade 2 Old Hat at Gulfstream Park. She came back to be second in the Grade 3 Florida Oaks at Tampa Bay Downs last month.

Ready for Fortune was second in the Grade 3 Cicada on the inner track on March 15 for trainer Gary Contessa. Edward L. Shapoff's Weathered is listed as questionable. The New York-bred Key Contender filly has won three of four career starts.

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