Bob and John Gets Grinding Win in Wood Memorial, Jazil Fly's in for Second
by Ultimatecapper.com Horse Handicapper Kenneth Strong
April 8, 2006 - Bob and John made up for his hanging loss in the San Felipe Stakes on March 18 with a grinding win in the $750,000 Wood Memorial-G1 on Saturday at Aqueduct.
Rating just back and outside fractions of 23.10, 46.26 and 1:11.01 set by lone speed even-money favorite Keyed Entry, Bob and John drew even with that one on the turn and after a mile in 1:37.48 ground him into defeat under new rider Garret Gomez. Bob and John drew away over the last 100 yards as longshot Jazil ($15.70) came flying late to take second money.
At the wire it was Bob and John by 1 1/2 lengths over Jazil, with keyed Entry tiring to finish half a length behind that one in third. Longshot Scanlon's Song finished a further six lengths back in fourth, while Tampa Bay Derby winner Deputy Glitters faded to finish sixth after being well position outside throughout. Gotham Stakes fourth place finisher Greeley's Legacy could do no better than seventh.
The final time for the mile and an eighth was 1:51.40 over a sloppy sealed track. Trained by Bob Baffert for Stonerside Stable, the winner returned $6.40 $4.50, $2.70. A dark bay colt by Seeking The Gold-Minister's Melody by Deputy Minister, Bob and John was winning the third stakes of his career while improving his lifetime earnings to $680,070 from a record of 4-1-3 in nine starts.
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Bob And John will definitely be heading to the May 6 Kentucky Derby now, whereas Keyed Entry's connections aren't so sure. Their horse may not want the mile and a quarter of the Kentucky Derby, and the Wood Memorial represented the second time in a row he has run down the stretch with his head up in the air, digging in but not quite able to give his best for some reason.
Jazil on the other hand, was flying at the finish, and trainer Kiaran McLaughin would like nothing better than to take his colt's late run to the Kentucky Derby - a race which just might set up perfectly for him with a hotly contended pace.
The Wood Memorial has produced three of the last six Kentucky Derby winners including Fusaichi Pegasus (2000), Monarchos (2001) and Funny Cide (2003), but for some reason this year's rendition just didn't look that good.
Maybe Jazil is the long bomb we're looking for.
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