The last major Kentucky Derby prep race will be contested on Saturday when the starting gate opens in the 2023 Wood Memorial at Aqueduct Racetrack in Queens, N.Y. Following the Blue Grass Stakes and Santa Anita Derby earlier in the day, the Wood will be the final prep race offering 100 Derby qualifying points -- and a guaranteed spot in the first leg of the Triple Crown -- to the winner. The Brad Cox-trained Hit Show is the 5-2 morning-line favorite in the 2023 Wood Memorial odds. The Todd Pletcher-trained Dreamlike is second in the odds at 7-2 in the Wood Memorial 2023 field. Slip Mahoney (6-1), Arctic Arrogance (6-1) and Classic Catch (10-1) round out the top five on the odds board.
Post time for the Wood Memorial 2023 is 6:16 p.m. ET. With a wide-open field set to leave the starting gate on Saturday, you'll want to see what Louisville, Ky.,-based racing expert Jody Demling has to say before making any 2023 Wood Memorial picks.
A fixture in the horse racing world who has been writing about, talking about and betting on races for years, Demling has nailed the winner of the Belmont Stakes four of the last five years, including an exacta in 2022 with Mo Donegal and Nest. He also nailed Flightline's win at the Breeders' Cup Classic this past November.
Demling is at his best in the biggest horse races in the country. In fact, he has hit 10 of the last 14 Oaks-Derby doubles at Churchill Downs. That means he held a ticket with the winners of both the Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby all but four times in the last 14 years. He's also called nine of the last 18 Preakness winners and nailed the 2022 Preakness trifecta. And last year he nailed the exacta in the Wood Memorial.
Now, Demling has handicapped the 2023 Wood Memorial field, made his picks and constructed his bets. Head to SportsLine to see them.
Top 2023 Wood Memorial predictions
One shocker: Demling likes the chances of 6-1 shot Arctic Arrogance. A winner of more than $313,000 in his career, Arctic Arrogance has finished second in three straight races. Two of those races have been at the Wood distance of 1⅛ miles, so he figures to be plenty fit for Saturday's race.
Arctic Arrogance has Wood success in his blood. Both his sire, Frosted, and his grandsire, Tapit, won the Wood en route to running in the Kentucky Derby. "I think he has a big chance to add to his family's legacy," Demling told SportsLine. Demling is using Arctic Arrogance prominently in his 2023 Wood Memorial picks. See who else he likes at SportsLine.
How to make 2023 Wood Memorial picks
Moreover, Demling's top pick is a horse who could become one of the "major contenders" for the Kentucky Derby. Demling also is high on a double-digit longshot who "should not have a problem" with the distance of this race. He's sharing which horses to back only at SportsLine.
So who wins the Wood Memorial 2023? And what double-digit longshot could surprise? Check out the latest Wood Memorial odds below, then visit SportsLine to see Demling's picks for the Wood Memorial, and find out.
2023 Wood Memorial odds
| Prg # | Horse | Odds | Projection |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dreamlike | 7-2 | SEE PICKS |
| 2 | Shadow Dragon | 12-1 | SEE PICKS |
| 3 | Knox | 50-1 | SEE PICKS |
| 4 | General Banker | 20-1 | SEE PICKS |
| 5 | Slip Mahoney | 6-1 | SEE PICKS |
| 6 | Clear the Air | 15-1 | SEE PICKS |
| 7 | Arctic Arrogance | 6-1 | SEE PICKS |
| 8 | Lord Miles | 30-1 | SEE PICKS |
| 9 | Crupi | 12-1 | SEE PICKS |
| 10 | Uncle Jake | 20-1 | SEE PICKS |
| 11 | Classic Catch | 10-1 | SEE PICKS |
| 12 | Mr. Swagger | 30-1 | SEE PICKS |
| 13 | Hit Show | 5-2 | SEE PICKS |
