Baffert Points Buetane Toward Wood Memorial as Kentucky Derby Prep

After finishing fourth in the Virginia Derby at Colonial Downs on March 14, Zedan Racing Stables' Buetane has been shipped to New York with the Grade 2 Wood Memorial at Aqueduct squarely in his sights. Trainer Bob Baffert told the Daily Racing Form that the Tiz the Law colt is a possible starter for the April 4 race, though the decision hinges on a workout in the coming days.

Baffert said Buetane is possible for Aqueduct's final Kentucky Derby prep on April 4, depending on a workout "next week." The Wood Memorial is worth 100-50-25-15-10 points to the top five finishers. For a horse sitting outside the top 20 on the Derby leaderboard, those points are not optional — they are the entire conversation.

The son of Tiz the Law was a $1.5 million 2-year-old in-training purchase for Zedan Stables in 2025. He has shown enough raw talent to justify that price tag. He broke his maiden first out at Del Mar last August and then shipped to Saratoga, where he finished second to Ted Noffey in the Hopeful. The Hopeful effort, run in 1:22.35 over seven furlongs at Saratoga, produced a Horse Racing Nation speed figure of 117 — the best raw number of his career before he stretched out.

The sprint-to-route transition has been the defining question around Buetane all winter. He was not seen again until January, when he finished second in the San Vicente to So Happy. His Southwest performance at 1 1/16 miles — his first route race — left something to be desired. He clocked a 109 figure in that Southwest third-place finish at Oaklawn on February 6, behind winner Silent Tactic, then regressed further at Colonial Downs. Incredibolt won the Virginia Derby in 1:47.76, posting an 111 figure; Buetane's 103 in fourth was his lowest number since breaking his maiden.

The Virginia Derby, run over 1 1/8 miles around one turn, offered Kentucky Derby qualifying points of 50-25-15-10-5 to the respective top five finishers. The Bob Baffert-trained Buetane cut back to one turn after weakening to third in his two-turn debut in the Southwest. The one-turn setup at Colonial didn't unlock the improvement Baffert's barn needed, and Buetane crossed fourth behind Incredibolt, Grittiness, and Confessional.

Now the Wood Memorial offers one final path. The 101st running of the Grade 2, $750,000 Wood Memorial presented by Resorts World Casino on April 4 is a nine-furlong route for sophomores offering 100-50-25-15-10 Kentucky Derby qualifying points. The winner of the Wood Memorial earns 100 points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby, enough to guarantee a spot in the starting gate for the Run for the Roses.

Buetane is bred by Merriebelle Stable, LLC in Kentucky, out of the Forestry mare Taboo. The Tiz the Law colt had earned six Kentucky Derby points heading into Colonial Downs; the Virginia Derby fourth added nothing to that total, leaving him well short of the bubble. The Wood Memorial's 100-point top prize represents by far the most direct route into the starting gate that remains available to him.

By the time the Santa Anita Derby, Wood Memorial at Aqueduct, and Blue Grass at Keeneland go into the books April 4, just about all the eggs should be in the Kentucky Derby basket. For Baffert and Zedan Racing, the workout between now and then will determine whether Buetane gets a seat at that table.