Resilience headed to Kentucky after dominating Wood Memorial (G2)

Resilience glides to victory in the 2024 Wood Memorial (G2) – Janet Garaguso/NYRA

Into Mischief got his second graded winner in as many days on Saturday when Resilience rolled to a 2 ¼-length victory in the $750,000 Wood Memorial S. (G2) at Aqueduct.

The 3-year-old colt earned 100 points in the Road to the Kentucky Derby challenge series and is assured of a spot in the May 4 Run for the Roses. Into Mischief’s 3-year-old filly Leslie’s Rose cemented her spot in the Kentucky Oaks (G1) with a victory in the Ashland S. (G1) Friday at Keeneland.

Into Mischief now has seven graded winners on the year and is atop the 2024 General Sire list with $13.8 million in progeny earnings to date.

Resilience, who ran a deceptively good fourth in the Feb. 17 Risen Star S. (G2), added blinkers for the first time in the Wood. He stalked the pace in third while well off the rail on the backstretch. He began to move for the lead around the final turn and took over the top spot at the quarter pole. He quickly moved clear of the field and was going along comfortably the rest of the trip to win handily in 1:50.28 for the 1 1/8-miles on a fast track.

“We weren’t confident, but hopeful,” Ric Waldman, who co-owns the colt with Emily Bushnell, said. “His race in the Risen Star was better than it appeared and he gave up a lot. [Trainer] Bill [Mott] taking him back to Payson Park and training him for these weeks, he had him just picture perfect for this race.”

Resilience, who broke his maiden on New Year’s Day at Gulfstream Park, has earned $494,630. The bay colt was bred by Pam and Marty Wygod and hails from a deep female family that includes graded stakes winners Courageous Cat, After Market, Tranquility Lake, Benchmark and Caveat.