OZONE PARK, N.Y. – As impressive as Captain Cook has been winning his last two races, even trainer Rick Dutrow knows the horse has more to prove before being considered a legitimate Kentucky Derby contender. Heck, he has more to do just to qualify for the $5 million Derby on May 3 at Churchill Downs. Captain Cook is not alone. None of the horses entered in Saturday’s Grade 2, $750,000 Wood Memorial at Aqueduct have accrued enough qualifying points to make it into the expected 20-horse Kentucky Derby field. The top five finishers of the Wood earn qualifying points (100-50-25-15-10), meaning at least the top two finishers figure to earn a spot in the Derby gate. The Wood has not produced a Kentucky Derby winner since Funny Cide in 2003. The Wood field did undergo some alterations on Thursday and is now down to 10 horses. Hill Road, third in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile and Tampa Bay Derby, developed a fever after shipping from Florida, according to trainer Chad Brown and has been scratched. Bear Claw Necklace, a longshot from the barn of trainer Saffie Joseph Jr., will scratch for an easier spot. When it comes to the Wood, Captain Cook, who has 20 Derby points, has a few tangibles on his side. He is 2 for 2 over Aqueduct’s main track, including a win in the Withers here two months ago at the Wood distance. He also has a win over a wet track, conditions that could be in play Saturday depending on the intensity and timing of forecasted rain. “He hasn’t run against a solid horse yet, there could be some in there,” said Dutrow, who trains Captain Cook for Vinnie and Teresa Viola’s St. Elias Stable. “He’s got to pass the test and show everybody he can beat a strong field. He’s got the home court and he could have a wet track. Hopefully, he runs his race and we see where he fits.” :: DRF Road to the Derby Package Available Now! Save 37% on key handicapping essentials through Kentucky Derby Day. If the track is wet, Dutrow said he would likely scratch McAfee from the Wood. If it’s dry, he said he would likely give the half-brother to reigning Horse of the Year Thorpedo Anna a chance in the race. McAfee, plagued by a leg infection earlier in the winter, finished fifth in the Gotham last month. Captain Cook having two months between races is by design, according to Dutrow. He hasn’t had difficulty training him over the Belmont Park training track, which can be inconsistent during the winter, nor did Dutrow want to race anywhere other than Aqueduct. “We have been easy with him when the track wasn’t the way that you’d want it and we have been aggressive with him when it’s the way that you’d want it,” Dutrow said. “He’s won two races training here, so I don’t have any problems training on this track because he likes it and he’s run big.” Rodriguez has arguably faced the best 3-year-olds on the Derby trail, including Journalism and his own Bob Baffert-trained stablemates Citizen Bull and Barnes. Baffert, a two-time Wood winner, shipped Rodriguez here looking to split his horses up and hoping to find a softer landing spot. “I think he’s very talented,” Baffert said. “We haven’t seen the best of him, it’s coming later. He’s doing really well, it’s a good spot for him.” Baffert is removing blinkers from Rodriguez’s equipment for the first time. Mike Smith, who won his first of three Wood Memorials in 1990, has the call from the rail. Todd Pletcher has won the Wood seven times, none with a horse making just his third career start, which is what Grande will be doing Saturday. Grande, a son of Curlin, won his debut going one mile on Jan. 11 at Gulfstream Park and came back to win a first-level allowance going 1 1/8 miles, also at Gulfstream, on Feb. 27. “He’s got a big, long stride and keeps going,” Pletcher said. “Not easy to break your maiden going a mile and then win at a mile and an eighth second time out. He showed some quality doing it.” Sand Devil, a New York-bred stakes winner, tries two turns for the first time coming off a runner-up finish behind Flood Zone in the Gotham. “I’m anxious to give him a try at a mile and an eighth, let’s see how he handles it,” trainer Linda Rice said. “It’s time to find out. He’s coming into the race well. I was able to get three nice breezes into him.” Passion Rules, trained by Brad Cox, comes into the Wood having won all three of his starts, albeit against lesser company, but all around two turns. :: KENTUCKY DERBY 2025: Top contenders, point standings, prep schedule, news, and more “He has the ability to really sustain a good steady run around the turn and down the lane, and I think the further the better for him,” Cox said of Passion Rules. “I don’t think the mile and an eighth will be an issue.” Statesman, trained by two-time Wood Memorial winner Shug McGaughey, has won his last two starts, both going a mile and 40 yards at Tampa Bay Downs. McGaughey believes the horse wants more distance. “His works have been really good,” McGaughey said. “Let’s see if he’s good enough.” Others in the field include Tiger Twenty Four, My Mitole, and Omaha Omaha. The Wood goes as race 12 on a 13-race card that begins at 12:10 p.m. and includes four other stakes. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.